The Port of Callao is Peru's main commercial seaport. Just 12 kilometers from downtown Lima (Spanish), the country's capital, the Port of Callao is part of the Lima-Callao metropolitan area. The Port of Callaois 765 kilometers northwest of Peru's southern Port of Matarani and 960 kilometers southwest of the relatively isolated Port of Iquitos on the Amazon River in the country's far northeast region. The Port of Callao has one of South America's few good natural harbors on the Pacific Ocean. In 2005, almost 390 thousand people lived in the Port of Callao, although the Lima-Callao metropolitan area is home to more than 8.4 million.

The Port of Callao lies south of the Rimac River at the tip of a peninsula protected by the offshore island of San Lorenzo and a promontory. The Port of Callao exports mainly refined metals, minerals, fish meal, and fish oil. Its principal imports are wheat, lumber, and machinery. The Port of Callao is home to a wide range of industries that include breweries, fish meal factories, and shipbuilding yards. The Port of Callao is also home to a large naval base and the Jorge Chavez International Airport. It is also the site of several islands that support a large colony of sea lions and seabirds in a relatively pristine ecosystem.

Francisco Pizarro founded the Port of Callao in 1537, and it was soon Spain's main Pacific port in the New World. At the peak of Spain's power in Peru, the Port of Callao was the shipment point for goods from Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina to go to Panama and then to Spain through Cuba. Much of the cargo transported out of the Port of Callao was gold and silver that the Spanish conquistadores took from the Inca Empire. The Port of Callao was attacked often by pirates and Spain's European rivals. Sir Francis Drake pillaged the city in 1578.

In 1746, a tidal wave destroyed the Port of Callao after a serious earthquake. Rebuilt about a kilometer from the original site, the new Port of Callao was fortified by the Real Felipe fortress that ended up defending the Peruvians from Spain during the wars of independence.

In 1823, Simon Bolivar arrived at the Port of Callao. Three years later, Spain surrendered at the Real Felipe fortress in the Port of Callao. During the period of the Peru-Bolivian Confederacy, the Callao Province was created with relative political autonomy.

South America's first railroad started operating in 1851 between the Port of Callao and Lima. In 1857, the Port of Callao was entitled a "Constitutional Province." The name had no real value, except it was the only province in Peru to be given that status under constitutional mandate.

The Port of Callao was bombed by the Spanish fleet in the 1866 Battle of Callao when the Spanish attempted to re-conquer Peru. In 1881, Chilean forces occupied the Port of Callao during the War of the Pacific. It was returned to Peru under the terms of the 1883 Treaty of Ancon.

In 1940, a devastating earthquake destroyed much of the Port of Callao, which was rebuilt in the following years. By 1949, the Port of Callao was one of the biggest centers for coca-based products in the world, and it was known for its traffic in cocaine.

Before the Empresa Nacional de Puertos SA (ENAPU) was created in 1970, Peru's ports were managed by different organizations, both public and private. In the 1960s, the Port Administration in the Ministry of Finance increased nationwide port capacity when it built four new ports at Salaverry, Paita, Ilo, and General San Martin. The government attempted to integrate the nation's ports in 1968 by creating the Corporacion Nacional Portuaria, but the new body was not effective.

In January 1970, ENAPU was formed by law as a decentralized public organization under the Transports and Communications Sector. ENAPU was made responsible for the operation, maintenance, and administration of all ports in the Republic of Peru. This included 11 ports in the northern regions, three in the southern regions, four in the eastern interior regions, and five in the central region, including the Port of Callao.

Over the years since ENAPU was formed, it has transferred management of some terminals to other groups, especially those ports operating under the lighterage system that were redirected to support commercial activities of municipalities and regions.

In 2002, as the country underwent a decentralization process, the Port of Callao Region was created and separated from the Lima Region.

Peru's National Port Authority (Spanish) (APN) governs all ports in Peru, including the Port of Callao. The Empresa Nacional de Puertos S.A. (ENAPU) was created by law in 1970 as a decentralized public organization under the Transports and Communications Sector. ENAPU was made responsible for operating, maintaining, and administering all terminals and jetties in the Republic of Peru.

ENAPU seeks to be the leading container port on South America's Pacific Coast, and the Port of Callao plays a vital role in that leadership. Both competing and cooperating with the private sector, ENAPU provides appropriate port infrastructure, modern equipment, and skilled workers to offer the best port services available. ENAPU is committed to meeting the demands for port services effectively, efficiently, and reliably to support the development of foreign trade in Peru and the integration of the Port of Callao-Lima region.

La Empresa Nacional de Puertos ENAPU S.A. administers and develops the Port of Callao under state ownership. The Port of Callao serves a vast hinterland that contains Lima, Huanuco, Cerro de Pasco, Ayacucho, Huancavelica, and Junin. Located in the Pacific Basin on Peru's central coast, the Port of Callao holds an important strategic position on the inter-oceanic routes for vessels crossing the Panama Canal and the Straits of Magellan.

The Port of Callao serves Peru's capital city of Lima and the rest of the country through a network of roads that extend to the north and south and into the central mountain region. The Port of Callao is connected by road with the Jorge Chavez International Airport, located about four kilometers northeast of the Port of Callao, and to the nation's railroad that crosses the Andes Mountain range.

The Port of Callao covers over 47 hectares and contains over 3.6 kilometers of moorings at a depth of about 11 meters. The port contains almost 26.5 hectares of storage space, including 2.1 hectares of roofed area and 24.3 hectares for containers. The Port of Callao has capacity for storing 25.8 thousand metric tons of grain.

In 2007, over 20.7 million metric tons of cargo passed through the Port of Callao on 2367 vessels, with 16.4 million tons going through the Callao terminal. Cargoes at the Callao Terminal included 9.6 million tons of imports, 5.4 million tons of exports, 920.8 thousand tons of transshipments, and 440.7 thousand tons of cabotage. The Port of Callao handled 1.2 million TEUs of containerized cargo, one million of those handled through the Callao Terminal.

Jetty No. 1 in the Port of Callao is 9.3 meters wide and has alongside depth of 9.8 meters. It contains two berths, one on each side of the jetty, and each is 182.8 meters long. The Port of Callao's Jetty No. 2 is 86 meters wide with alongside depth of 10.1 meters, and it has two berths, each 182.8 meters long. Jetty No. 3 is 86 meters wide with alongside depth of 10.1 meters. It also has two berths of 182.8 meters in length. Jetty No. 4 in the Port of Callao is 30.5 meters wide with alongside depth of 10.1 meters, and it has two berths of 182.8 meters in length.

The Port of Callao's Jetty No. 5 is 390 meters long and 182.8 meters wide. It contains five berths. Berths A and B have alongside depth of 10.7 meters. Berth A is 178 meters long, and Berth B is 212 meters long. Berths C and D have alongside depth of 11 meters. Berth C is 182.8 meters long, and Berth D is 209 meters long. Berth E is 181 meters long, and it has alongside depth of 10.4 meters.

The Port of Callao's Terminal of Paita contains a warehouse of 280 square meters and handling areas of 8.6 thousand square meters with a capacity for handling 690 TEUs of containerized cargo. Its North and South Courtyards contain over 23 thousand square meters for handling both loaded and empty containers. In 2003, the Port Terminal of Paita handled almost 771 thousand metric tons in 68.8 thousand TEUs of containerized cargo.

The Port of Callao's Salaverry Port Terminal Facilities include two jetties for direct mooring of 455 meters of total length and draft of 9-10 meters. Two general warehouses and a sugar warehouse cover 11.6 thousand square meters. Open areas of 45 thousand square meters handle general cargo, containers, and alcohol tanks. In 2003, the Salaverry Terminal handled 961 thousand metric tons of cargo including 100 TEUs of containerized cargo.

The General San Martin Port Terminal Facilities in the Port of Callao contain a jetty for direct mooring of 700 meters This terminal covers over 9 thousand square meters of warehouse with capacity to handle 30 thousand tons of cargo. Its eight zones cover almost 80 thousand square meters and have a capacity to handle 161 thousand tons of general merchandise, bulk salt, and containers. In 2003, the Port of Callao's General San Martin Terminal handled over a million metric tons of cargo.

The Ilo Port Terminal Facility in the Port of Callao contains an anti-seismic jetty for direct moorings with a total length of 630 meters and capacity to handle 100 thousand deadweight tons. The Ilo facility includes a warehouse covering 1.6 thousand square meters. Six open areas cover 40.5 thousand square meters in the Port of Callao and have a combined capacity for over 96 thousand metric tons of cargo including general merchandise, roll-on/roll-of cargo and containers, vehicles, grain, and some hazardous cargo.

In early 2009, DP World announced that it will invest in the Muelle Norte Terminal at the Port of Callao. The project will rebuild and restore the terminal facilities, creating a deep-water facility with almost 1.3 kilometers of berths and 550 meters of side-feeder berths that can accommodate as many as four post-Panamax vessels at the same time. The revamped Port of Callao terminal will include a 73-hectares storage facility with yard and ample cargo-handling equipment. The rebuilt terminal will focus on handling some three million TEUs of containerized cargo and will serve cruise ships.

The City of Callao (Spanish) is considered to be little more than a coastal suburb of Lima; however, it is a city in its own right with an honored history and a distinct character. Cruise vessels bound for Lima actually moor at the Port of Callao, and Lima has, of course, almost limitless attractions for tourists. The Port of Callao's major tourist attractions tend to be related to the sea and the coastline. Its beaches in La Punta are popular, and the Port of Callao is a favorite place to enjoy the local color and great seafood. Near the Port of Callao are several islands with both historic (sometimes infamous) and natural interest.

The climate in the Port of Callao is mild even though it is in the tropics and in desert. Being at the sea, it has a high level of humidity all year. Temperatures range from mild to warm, but they are never very hot or very cold. Winters are cloudy, with fog and mist, but there is little snow or rain. The Port of Callao can be affected by El Nino events that warm the waters and the ambient temperature. Despite high humidity, the Port of Callao gets little rain. From June through December, morning fogs hover. From May until November, there may be low-lying clouds. The summers, lasting from December to April, are warm and dry, and rain falls in isolated showers in the afternoon and evening. Temperatures range from an average high of 26 °C (79 °F) from January through March to an average low of 15 °C (59 °F) from July through September. What rain that does fall comes from June through October.

The Fortaleza (or Castillo) del Real Felipe was first built in 1747 to protect the city from frequent pirate attacks. It was the site of Spanish royalists' last stand during Peru's fight for independence. Located in the Port of Callao, the Fortaleza is the largest military structure that the Spanish built in the Americas. Named to honor King Philip V of Bourbon, the fort was renamed several times until 1925 when the original title was returned. With an irregular pentagonal shape, the fort occupies seven hectares, with bastions standing at each of its five corners. One of the Port of Callao's most popular tourist destinations, the Fortelaza del Real Felipe houses the Museo del Ejercito (Military Museum) where military artifacts tell the story of Peru's army.

The Port of Callao's Historical Center also houses the Museo Naval (Navy Museum) that celebrates the maritime history of Lima and Callao. This museum contains many paintings and uniforms related to Peru's navy. It is located near the port, and it offers many war relics related to the country's battles with the Spanish and Chilean navies.

To the northeast of the Port of Callao are several small islands. The Island of San Lorenzo is home to a military base. More often frequented by tourists, Cavinzas Island, Palomino Island, and El Fronton also face the Port of Callao. El Fronton was a local prison for many years, and in the 1980s it became infamous for a prison riot in which hundreds of prisoners were killed. Regular ferries and boats visit El Fronton every day. Palomino Islands (Spanish) is a wonderful natural area where the cold sea attracts sea birds and sea lions. Also a ecotourism yacht stop, visitors will love seeing the guano birds that are repopulating the small island. The sea lions have acclimated to human visitors, and they tend to surround ships that approach the island. People are allowed to swim near them, but not enter their territory. They also enjoy watching the social behaviors of the sea lion colony on the island. The Island of San Lorenzo is home to a lighthouse and a small bay and beach with very calm waters. The bay is part of the La Punta resort area, and swimming is allowed.

The beaches at La Punta are clean and relatively calm. People love paddling, swimming, and water skiing at the Playa Cantolao. Most La Punta beaches are a mix of sand and pebbles and, between December and February (the summer), lifeguards are on duty. Several piers in the La Punta beach area have wonderful restaurants as well.

The La Punta Resort Community (Spanish) is located in the western province near the Port of Callao. With cold water and rocky beaches, the La Punta Resort area is an excellent place to watch breathtaking seafront sunsets. La Punta was a fishing village during the time of the Incas and during the Spanish occupation of Peru. In 1915, the District of La Punta was established. Since the middle of the 20th Century, the area has been popular with beach-goers and the more affluent travelers from Lima. Today, La Punta is also home to several rowing clubs and the Naval Academy.

Travelers who want to visit the Port of Callao and Lima by sea can find a list of scheduled cruises on the Cruise Compete website.