# Port Vila (VU VLI)

**UN/LOCODE:** VU VLI  
**Country:** Vanuatu  
**Water Body:** Coral Sea; South Pacific Ocean  
**Harbor Size:** Very Small  
**Harbor Type:** Coastal (Breakwater)  
**GPS:** -17.7333, 168.3167

Around 4,500 container slots and dedicated space for LCL, breakbulk and bonded cargo make the Lapetasi International Multi-Purpose Wharf the backbone of Vanuatu's overseas trade. Opened in 2018 as a roughly US$100 million project, the wharf at Port Vila separates international cargo ships from the cruise vessels and tankers that use the older main wharf on Efate's south coast. The port is the country's principal point of entry, handling mostly consumer goods, building materials, fuel and foodstuffs for the capital and outer islands. There is no rail; distribution depends entirely on Efate's road network. Customs and quarantine for Vanuatu are processed here, which matters for forwarders planning import documentation. The second national port, Luganville on Espiritu Santo, complements Port Vila, while ocean cargo is often transhipped via hubs such as Suva, Nouméa or Brisbane.

---

*Freight Academy — Seaport Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/port-vila-port-vu-vli](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/port-vila-port-vu-vli)*

*Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/seaports/en/port-vila-port-vu-vli](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/seaports/en/port-vila-port-vu-vli)*

*LLM-Summary (JSON): https://www.freight-academy.com/api/v1/seaports/port-vila-port-vu-vli/llm-summary?lang=en*