Ecuador: sanctions and trade risk

No elevated indicator

As of 7 November 2026, the screened UN, EU, UK, Swiss and US sanctions lists contain 17 companies, organisations, vessels and aircraft linked to Ecuador.Lists last checked 2026-11-07 21:01 UTC.

Logistics profile: ports, airports, customs, documents, holidays, news ↓

No elevated country indicator for Ecuador in the route rules Sanctioni uses. That is not a clearance: goods may still be export-controlled, and parties in Ecuador may still be on a list.

Check a shipment to Ecuador →

On the sanctions lists

17 entries on the official lists name Ecuador — as nationality, address, registration or flag. That links them to the country; it says nothing about other companies there. The same company can appear on several lists and is then counted once per list. Individuals are not included — Sanctioni does not process them.

List	Entries	Companies & organisations	Vessels	Aircraft
US OFAC — Specially Designated Nationals (SDN)	17	17	—	—

Latest changes

No new listings or removals naming Ecuador recorded yet.

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Logistics profile

Ecuador: logistics and trade

Agricultural/oil export country with Pacific seaport hub

Ecuador (ISO-Code: EC) is located in South America on the Pacific coast and borders Colombia and Peru, including the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific. Politically, the country is a presidential republic with stable institutions and democratic structures. The climate is diverse, ranging from tropical humid along the coast to temperate elevations in the Andes and subtropical conditions in the Amazon region. Economically, Ecuador is heavily reliant on raw material exports, particularly oil, bananas, and cocoa, while services and agriculture play complementary roles. Foreign trade is central, with export revenues supporting the economy, while the country remains dependent on imports of industrial products, machinery, and consumer goods. Strategically located seaports, such as Guayaquil, and an extensive road and airport network ensure the transit and logistics function for regional supply chains. The national currency is the US dollar (USD), which enables stable trade and financial transactions. Ecuador plays an important role in South American trade and in global supply chains, particularly through its export products and maritime connectivity. Infrastructure, geographical location, and political stability strengthen the country's position as a regional economic hub.

Capital: Quito
Population: 17,966,573
Area: 256,370 km²
Currency: US Dollar (USD)
Continent: South America
Region: South America / Andean region
Economic area: Andean Community (CAN)
Religions: Catholic, Protestant, Other
Access to the sea: Yes

Transport modes Sea · Road · Air

Current situation: Port operations continue despite the security crisis; customs and security controls have been intensified. Shipping lines reported temporary restrictions in Guayaquil in 2025.
Seasonal conditions: Rainy season on the coast from December to May with flood risk (El Niño). Altitude weather in the Andes; seismic and volcanic activity possible.

Main seaports

Guayaquil
Guayaquil (EC GYE): Ecuador's largest container port (Contecon, TPG), over 2M TEU/year and the leading banana and reefer hub on the Pacific.
Puerto Maritimo De Guayaquil
Puerto Marítimo de Guayaquil (ECPEV), Ecuador: the country's main port and world's largest banana-export hub, Contecon/TPG, 2.4M TEU in 2024, big reefer capacity.
Manta
Manta (ECMEC): Ecuador's top fishing port and tuna hub, a multipurpose terminal for bulk, reefer and limited containers (~3,000 TEU). Cargo profile and alternatives.
Esmeraldas
Esmeraldas (ECESM): Ecuador multipurpose port for bananas, timber, steel and crude oil (SOTE/Balao). Containers route via Guayaquil and Posorja.
Puerto Bolivar
Puerto Bolívar (ECPBO), Machala: Ecuador's banana and reefer port run by YILPORT, 910 m of quay, new USD 30m cold store in 2026. Alternatives: Guayaquil, Posorja.
La Libertad
La Libertad (ECLLD) is an Ecuadorian oil and tanker port handling crude, salt and sulphur; containers route via Guayaquil or Posorja.

Main cargo airports

Mariscal Sucre International AirportUIO
Mariscal Sucre (UIO), Quito: 407,000 t of air cargo in 2025 (+11%), Ecuador's rose-export gateway with a 13,000 m² perishables terminal.
José Joaquín de Olmedo International AirportGYE
José Joaquín de Olmedo (GYE), Guayaquil: Ecuador's 2nd-busiest airport, air-cargo outlet for shrimp, bananas and cocoa beside the country's largest seaport.

Road corridors

Pan-American E35
Guayaquil - Quito
Quito - Tulcán (Colombia border)
Quito - Huaquillas (Peru border)

Main trade lanes

Ecuador - USA
Ecuador - EU
Ecuador - China
Ecuador - Andean region

Customs and import

Customs authority Servicio Nacional de Aduana del Ecuador (SENAE)Official website ↗

Import customs system: Electronic processing via ECUAPASS. Import declaration DAI by an authorized customs agent; registration as foreign trade operator (OCE) with digital signature required.
Export customs system: Export via ECUAPASS with electronic export declaration DAE by the declarant, together with the commercial invoice. OCE registration required.
Import VAT: IVA 15 percent (as of 2026, SRI). Assessment base: customs value plus duties and levies.
Proofs of origin and trade agreements: EFTA-Ecuador agreement (since 2020) and EU agreement: declaration of origin or EUR.1. Within the Andean Community (CAN): certificate of origin.
Restricted and prohibited goods: Restrictions apply to, among others, weapons, dangerous goods, and agricultural and health products (SPS controls via Agrocalidad/ARCSA). Import licences are required in some cases.

Typical import documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Transport document (B/L or AWB)
Import declaration DAI
Proof of origin (for preference)

Typical export documents

Commercial invoice
Packing list
Export declaration DAE
Transport document
Proof of origin
Phytosanitary certificate (agricultural)

Logistics conditions

Customs complexity: Medium
Customs delays: Medium
Port congestion: Medium to high
Dangerous goods relevance: Medium
Pharma and cold chain relevance: Medium to high
E-commerce relevance: Medium

Trade

Top import partners

United States China Colombia Brazil Peru

Top export partners

United States Chile Peru

Top import goods

Mineral oils
Machinery
Vehicles
Electronic devices
Pharmaceuticals

Top export goods

Crude oil
Fruit
Crustaceans
Flowers
Cocoa

Typical cargo

Bananas/fruit (reefer)
Crustaceans/shrimp (reefer)
Cocoa
Cut flowers
Crude oil
Machinery (import)

Logistics questions

Which customs system does Ecuador use?

Ecuador processes imports and exports electronically through the ECUAPASS system of the customs authority SENAE. Importers and exporters must be registered as foreign trade operators (OCE) with a digital signature; the import declaration (DAI) is made through an authorized customs agent.

What is the import VAT (IVA) rate in Ecuador?

The general IVA rate is 15 percent (as of 2026, confirmed by the SRI). The assessment base for imports is the customs value plus duties, fees and other levies as stated in the import declaration.

Which free trade agreements does Ecuador have?

Ecuador has an agreement with EFTA (in force since 1. November 2020, including Switzerland), the trade agreement with the EU (since 2017) and the customs union of the Andean Community (CAN). With the appropriate proof of origin, tariff preferences are possible.

What are Ecuador's most important seaports?

The largest port is Guayaquil, with the Contecon (CGSA) and TPG terminals. The deep-water port DP World Posorja accepts large vessels. Other ports include Manta, Esmeraldas (oil) and Puerto Bolívar (bananas).

What risks currently exist in logistics?

The security situation is tense: cocaine smuggling in containers (mainly in banana exports), gang violence on the coast and a state of emergency in 2025 increase control and reputational risks. Port operations nevertheless continue.

Which currency is used in Ecuador?

Ecuador has been dollarised since the year 2000; the official national currency is the US dollar (USD). This simplifies international trade and financial transactions and eliminates the exchange rate risk against the USD.

Which documents are required for import?

Typical documents are the commercial invoice, packing list, transport document (B/L or AWB) and the import declaration DAI. Under preferential agreements, a proof of origin is added; for agricultural and health goods, SPS certificates may be required.

Full logistics profile on Freight Academy ↗