Port of Papeete

Papeete connects international shipping with the inter-island services that supply communities across the surrounding archipelagos. Its harbour brings overseas cargo, coastal vessels, ferries and cruise traffic into different working areas along Tahiti’s urban waterfront.

The international trade terminal at Motu Uta handles containerised freight, including refrigerated containers in a dedicated area with electrical connections. Other quays serve coastal cargo vessels, allowing shipments arriving from overseas to continue through the island supply network. Bulk cargo and petroleum facilities add to the port’s commercial functions.

Passenger activity is organised alongside these freight operations, with ferry and cruise berths serving different types of journey. This combination makes Papeete both an arrival point and a distribution centre: cargo and people pass through the harbour before continuing to destinations on Tahiti or elsewhere in the islands.