Cartagena Structures the “Transcaribe Acuático” Project to Integrate Bus and Waterway Transport Across the Bay

The Mayor’s Office of Cartagena is advancing the financial closing and technical structuring phase of Transcaribe Acuático, an intermodal public transportation system designed to connect the Bay of Cartagena and internal water bodies with the Transcaribe Mass Transit Integrated System (SITM).

International Cooperation and Technical Implementation Phases

The project outlines two operational development stages. Phase One will function as a pilot test in the Bay of Cartagena to collect technical data and user feedback, while Phase Two will extend the navigation network to the city’s internal channels and lakes.

To ensure technical and financial viability, the District secured institutional partnerships with international organizations:

• German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ): Through the PROMOVIS program (Promotion of Inclusive and Sustainable Urban Mobility), it coordinated the review of more than 10 prior studies and preliminary designs.
• C40 Cities Finance Facility (CFF): Cartagena was selected in this global network’s international call for proposals for structuring sustainable mobility projects.
• Inter-American Development Bank (IDB): It will fund the design of a pilot for two vessels. Technical execution will be managed by the consulting firm IDOM and the Spanish naval engineering company Cotenaval, which specializes in passenger transport and electric ferries.

Vessel Specifications and Operational Model

The conceptual design foresees vessels powered by clean energy with the following technical features:

• Capacity: 40 to 50 passengers per vessel.
• Accessibility: Designated spaces equipped for passengers with reduced mobility.
• Multimodality: Areas adapted for bicycle transport.

The system’s operation could be managed by Transcaribe, given its regulatory authority in the capital of Bolívar. To date, the District Administration has not yet defined or established a fare integration scheme between the system’s buses and maritime transport.