NORTH AMERICA

Prequalification for Panamas Pacific port

21 years ago

Panama Maritime Authority (APM) is to pre-qualify all those international stevedoring groups interested in managing its new US$600m Pacific coast container port project.

This will be located close to the mouth of the Panama Canal, adjacent to the former US Howard airbase.

Initially, it is planned to build 1,600m of berthing line with alongside water depth of 15m. The deployment of 18 post-Panamax cranes should enable annual capacity to reach 2.4m TEUs.

A total of 12 companies initially showed interest in the project: PSA, DP World, P&O Ports, APM Terminals, Cosco, Evergreen, SSA Marine, MPC, Dragdos-SPL, HPH, Yangming and NYK Line. However, the terms and conditions of the concession will depend on the eventual bids entered by interested parties, especially on the level of investment they are willing to make.