Panama Canal Expansion Discussed At Maritime Conference
Panama Canal Authority (ACP) executives last week briefed maritime industry leaders
on the state of the Panama Canal at the Panama Maritime VIII World Conference
and Exhibition, held in Panama City.
Canal Administrator/CEO Alberto Alemán Zubieta outlined some key decisions
the ACP has made since the handover from US administration. In particular, he
underscored the benefits of the ACP’s decision to run the Canal like a
business. Today, the ACP looks at its “users” as customers who are
different with different needs. In 2002, the ACP segmented the market into eight
key segments and began offering unique products and services for those markets.
Moreover, he outlined capital investments made to enhance reliability and customer
service at the Canal. Mr. Alemán focused on the need for expansion, explaining that the Canal
is nearing maximum capacity. He revealed that during the expansion project there
will be no interruption of service within the existing Canal, and that the ACP
will use some of the same construction areas as the Americans did in 1939, when
expansion was stopped because of World War II. "The project will double capacity, allow post-Panamax ships and will be
environmentally sound, using state-of-the-art water-saving basins," Mr.
Alemán stated. The conference came soon after the ACP’s decision to increase prices
to customers – an effort to move to a charge that reflects the true value
of the service and the route the Canal provides. The ACP did extensive research
and modeling and proposed an average increase of 10% per year for three years.
Other key topics discussed during the conference included the impact of expansion
on global trade and Panamanian commerce, trends in port logistics and the impact
of expansion on worldwide port infrastructure. International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos
was featured as a keynote speaker. At a press conference, he stressed the three
maritime mandates of the IMO: safety, security and environment. He also heartily
endorsed expansion, calling it “the right decision for Panama and the
industry”. Considered one of the main maritime events in Latin America and the Caribbean
since 1991, the Panama Maritime VIII World Conference and Exhibition provides
attendees an opportunity to discuss the latest trends and issues in maritime
and port management. Organized by the Panamanian Maritime Law Association, the
Panama Chamber of Shipping, the ACP and the Panama Maritime Authority, the event
attracted more than 100 companies and other representatives from the maritime
sector. .
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