World Bank Document

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

World Bank Document Document of The World Bank. FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Public Disclosure Authorized Report No. 3481b-PAN Public Disclosure Authorized STAFF APPRAISAL REPORT SECOND PORT PROJECT PANAMA Public Disclosure Authorized May 21, 1982 Public Disclosure Authorized Projects Department Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Office This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization. Currency Equivalents Currency Unit = Balboa (B/. 1) US$1 = B/. 1 Note: The issue of Balboas is restricted to coins; the U.S. Dollar (US$) is accepted as currency. Fiscal Year January 1 - December 31 Units and Measures 1 meter (m) = 3.28 feet (ft) 1 kilometer (km) 2 = 0.62 mile (mi) 1 square kilometer (km ) = 0.386 square mile (sq mi) 1 metric ton (m ton) = 1.1 US short ton (sh ton) Abbreviations APN - Autoridad Portuaria Nacional (National Port Authority) DAC - Direccion de Aeronautica Civil (Civil Aviation Authority) FNC - Chiriqui National Railway FTZ - Free Trade Zone (Colon) GDP - Gross Domestic Product GNP - Gross National Product IRHE - Panama's Power Company MHWN - Mean High Water of Neap Tides MHWS - Mean High Water of Spring Tides MIPPE - Ministerio de Planification y Politica Economica (Ministry of Planning and Economic Policy) MOP - Ministerio de Obras Publicas (Ministry of Public Works) PCC - Panama Canal Company PCR - Panama Canal Railway PTP - Petroterminal de Panama UNCTAD - United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNDP - United Nations Development Programme FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY STAFF APPRAISAL REPORT SECOND PORT PROJECT PANAMA TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No I. THE TRANSPORT SECTOR. ............ 1 A. General. 1 B. The Transport System ................... 1 C. Sectoral Coordination, Planning and Financing. 4 D. Bank Assistance to the Sector. 5 II. THE MARITIME SUBSECTOR .......................................... 6 A. General ................................................... 6 B. Characteristics and Growth of Traffic .......................7 C. The Port of Cristobal ....................................... 7 D. The Port of Coco Solo Norte ................................8 E. The Port of Balboa ...................................... 8 F. The Previous Port Project ................................... 8 G. Port Administration and Training ..... .................... 9 H. Port Finances ............................................... 11 I. Planning .................................................... 11 III. THE PROPOSED PROJECT ............................................ 12 A. Objectives and General Description .................. ........ 12 B. Description of the Main Project Items ....................... 12 C. Cost Estimates and Financing ................................ 14 D. Project Implementation ...................................... 15 E. Procurement and Disbursement ................................15 F. Project Monitoring .......................................... 16 G. Ecology and Environment ..................................... 17 IV. ECONOMIC EVALUATION ............................................ 17 A. Project Benefits ............................................ 17 B. Project Costs ............................................... 20 C. Economic Returns, Sensitivity and Risk ...................... 21 This report is based on the findings of an appraisal mission which visited Panama during March 1981. The mission comprised Messrs. F. Khin-Maung-Gyi (Port Engineer); G. Spier (Economist) and A. Stephenson (Financial Analyst). Postappraisal missions were conducted in September 1981 and March 1982, comprising Messrs. Khin-Maung-Gyi, R. Vinekar (Senior Port Engineer), G. Morra (Senior Training Specialist) and T. Markus (Financial Analyst). The report has been edited by Miss V. Foster. This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by reelpients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Hank authorization. TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Page No V. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS .............................................. 21 A. Introduction ................................................ 21 B. Financial Performance of APN ................................ 22 C. Financial Objectives of APN ................................. 25 D. Revenue and Cost Projections ................................ 26 E. Cash Flow Projections and Project Financing ................. 29 F. Sensitivity of Financial Forecasts ..... .....................30 VI. AGREEMENTS REACHED AND RECOMMENDATION ........................... 30 TABLES 1.1 Domestic and International Freight Traffic by Mode in Selected Years, 1967-1980 ..................................... 32 1.2 Passenger Traffic by Mode in Selected Years, 1967-1980 .... ...... 33 2.1 International Port Traffic in Selected Years, 1970-1981 ......... 34 2.2 Container Traffic Growth - Cristobal ............................ 35 3.1 Cost Estimates .................................................. 36 3.2 Implementation Schedule ...... ....................................37 3.3 Estimated Disbursement Schedule ................................. 38 3.4 Port Efficiency Indicators .................. ....................39-40 4.1 Port of Cristobal: Comparison of Project Economic Benefits and Costs - 1983 Through 2000 .................. ...................41 4.2 Coco Solo Norte: Comparison of Project Economic Benefits and Costs - 1983 Through 2000 .................. ...................42 5.1 APN Income Statements 1976-1979 .............. .. .................43 5.2 APN Canal Ports - Current Tariff Summary ............ ............ 44 5.3 APN Balance Sheets 1976-1979 .................. ..................45 5.4 APN Income Statements 1980-1986 ................. ................46 5.5 APN Projected Balance Sheets 1980-1986 ............. .............47 5.6 Projected Sources and Applications of Funds Statements 1981-1985 48 - iii - TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Page No ANNEXES 1. Description of the Project Civil Works and Cargo Handling Equipment .............................. 49 2. Outline of Proposed Technical Assistance ..................... 51 3. Economic Analysis Methodology ........... ..................... 53 Table A-1 Port of Cristobal: Total, Inbound and Outbound Waterborne Commerce by Type of Cargo and Commodity. 59 Table A-2 Coco Solo Norte Foreign and Cabotage Waterborne Commerce by Type of Cargo ........................ 60 Table A-3 Port of Cristobal: High, Medium and Low Projections of Container Transshipment, 1967--2000........... 61 4. Related Documents and Data Available in the Project File ..... 62 CHARTS World Bank 22914 - Current Structure of APN .................. 63 World Bank 22915 - Proposed Structure of APN ................. 64 MAPS IBRD 15796R - Panama - Transportation Network IBRD 15797R - Port of Coco Solo Norte Improvements IBRD 15799R - Port of Cristobal Improvements I. THE TRANSPORT SECTOR A. General 1.01 Panama is a relativelysmall country,both in terms of population (estimatedat 1.9 million in 1980) and geographicalarea (not more than about 100 km wide in most places and approximately670 km long). The country has developed basicallyalong two main axes: one, along the Panama Canal between the cities of Panama and Colon, an area known generallyas the MetropolitanRegion; and the other, along the Pacific coast, to the west of the Canal, followingwhat is now the alignment of the Pan-AmericanHighway. Agriculture,which is the primary source of income and employment in the western Pacific corridor,accounts for about 16% of GDP, while the Metropoli- tan Region has a far more dominant role in the national economy. About 56% of the country'stotal populationlives in the MetropolitanRegion. The economy of this Region, which is heavily dependent upon the provision of international commercialand financial services,and, more recently,upon the export of light manufacturedgoods, particularlyfrom the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in Colon, accounts for about 70% of the country'sGDP. B. The TransportSystem 1.02 The transportsystem (Map IBRD 15796R) in the developedareas of the country is broadly adequate;road transport is the basic mover of domestic freight and passengers. About 97% of all domestic freight trafficand 99% of passenger traffic is carried by road (Tables 1.1 and 1.2). However, in the relativelyunexplored regions in the eastern part of Panama, air travel and coastal shippingare the only means of transportationavailable. 1.03 The most important internationaltransport facilities are the Omar Torrijos InternationalAirport at Tocumen, the Panama Canal, the Canal ports of Cristobal (near Colon) and Balboa (near Panama City) and the Pan-AmericanHighway. The Panama Canal, its ports and ancillaryfacilities, includinga trans-isthmianrailway and a small oil products pipeline, carry an importantpart of the internationalcargo traffic,while the Canal ports handle most of Panama's general imports. The Pan-AmericanHighway, although handling only 5% of the internationaltraffic, is playing a growing role in the developmentof intra-regionalcommerce. Internationalpassenger traffic is mainly by air (some 80%). (i) Roads and Road Transport_/ 1.04 The Ministry of Public Works (MOP) is responsiblefor practically all highway-relatedwork in the country, as well as the constructionand maintenanceof city streets,national buildings and drainage works. The Ministry staff totals some 6,500 employees, of whom about 100 are professionals
Recommended publications
  • Table of Contents 4.0 Description of the Physical
    TABLE OF CONTENTS 4.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT............................................ 4­1 4.1 Geology ................................................................................................. 4­1 4.1.1 Methodology ........................................................................................ 4­1 4.1.2 Regional Geological Formations........................................................... 4­2 4.1.3 Local Geological Units ......................................................................... 4­7 4.1.3.1 Atlantic Coast .......................................................................... 4­7 4.1.3.2 Gatun Locks.............................................................................. 4­8 4.1.3.3 Gatun Lake ............................................................................... 4­9 4.1.3.4 Culebra Cut ......................................................................... ...4­10 4.1.3.5 Pacific Locks ...........................................................................4­11 4.1.3.6 Pacific Coast............................................................................4­12 4.1.4 Paleontological Resources ...................................................................4­13 4.1.5 Geotechnical Characterization .............................................................4­17 4.1.6 Tectonics.............................................................................................4­21 4.2 Geomorphology ..............................................................................................4­22
    [Show full text]
  • Project JYP-1104 SALT INTRUSION in GATUN LAKE a Major Qualifying
    Project JYP-1104 SALT INTRUSION IN GATUN LAKE A Major Qualifying Project submitted to the Faculty of WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science By Assel Akhmetova Cristina Crespo Edwin Muñiz March 11, 2012 Jeanine D. Plummer, Major Advisor Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering 1. Gatun Lake 2. Salt Intrusion 3. Panama Canal Abstract The expansion of the Panama Canal is adding another lock lane to the canal, allowing passage of larger ships. Increases in the number of transits and the size of the locks may displace more salt from the oceans into the freshwater lake, Gatun Lake, which is a drinking water source for Panama City. This project evaluated future salinity levels in Gatun Lake. Water quality and hydrometeorological data were input into a predictive hydrodynamic software package to project salinity levels in the lake after the new lock system is completed. Modeling results showed that salinity levels are expected to remain in the freshwater range. In the event that the lake becomes brackish, the team designed a water treatment plant using electrodialysis reversal for salt removal and UV light disinfection. ii Executive Summary The Panama Canal runs from the Pacific Ocean in the southeast to the Atlantic Ocean in the northwest over a watershed area containing the freshwater lake, Gatun Lake. The canal facilitates the transit of 36 ships daily using three sets of locks, which displace large volumes of water into and out of Gatun Lake. The displacement of water has the potential to cause salt intrusion into the freshwater Gatun Lake.
    [Show full text]
  • Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura)
    Porcellanid Crabs from the Coasts of Mexico and Central America (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura) ROBERT H. GORE m wtu. SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY • NUMBER 363 SERIES PUBLICATIONS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Emphasis upon publication as a means of "diffusing knowledge" was expressed by the first Secretary of the Smithsonian. In his formal plan for the Institution, Joseph Henry outlined a program that included the following statement: "It is proposed to publish a series of reports, giving an account of the new discoveries in science, and of the changes made from year to year in all branches of knowledge." This theme of basic research has been adhered to through the years by thousands of titles issued in series publications under the Smithsonian imprint, commencing with Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge in 1848 and continuing with the following active series: Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology Smithsonian Contributions to Astrophysics Smithsonian Contributions to Botany Smithsonian Contributions to the Earth Sciences Smithsonian Contributions to the Marine Sciences Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology Smithsonian Studies in Air and Space Smithsonian Studies in History and Technology In these series, the Institution publishes small papers and full-scale monographs that report the research and collections of its various museums and bureaux or of professional colleagues in the world cf science and scholarship. The publications are distributed by mailing lists to libraries, universities, and similar institutions throughout the world. Papers or monographs submitted for series publication are received by the Smithsonian Institution Press, subject to its own review for format and style, only through departments of the various Smithsonian museums or bureaux, where the manuscripts are given substantive review.
    [Show full text]
  • THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW July 2, 1954
    ! Gift ofthe Panama Canal Museum qq-l-dLto-Q) wi Vol.4, No. 12 BALBOA HEIGHTS, CANAL ZONE, JULY 2, 1954 5 cents NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL AWARD OF MERIT WON BY CANAL ORGANIZATION FOR NOTEWORTHY RECORD Whee The National Safety Coun- cil's Award of Merit^has been won by the Canal organiza- tion for its noteworthy safety achievement for the calendar year 1953. The Merit Award is equivalent to a second place, being exceeded only by the Award of Honor, which is given for an outstanding safety rec- ord. The Company-Govern- ment was only a few points short of this top award. The Award of Merit is accompanied by an embossed certificate, under glass and mounted on a wood plaque, and by a green-and-white safety flag. Both will be presented to Gov. J. S. Seybold this month during a visit to the Canal Zone of a sub-committee of the Panama Canal Company Board of Directors. A ceremony is being arranged for the presentation of the award and for the flag raising which will follow. The letter to G. 0. Kellar, Chief of the Safety Branch, from the National Safety JULY 4 wouldn't be Independence Day without fireworks. This picture of what the Gay '90's used Council announcing the award and con- to call a "pyrotechnic display" was taken in Balboa last July 4. gratulating the Canal organization on its achievement, said: "Under the provisions of the Plan For Independence Day Is July Fifth Recognizing Good Industrial Safety Rec- ords, adopted by the Industrial Confer- This Year Throughout Canal Zone ence of the National Safety Council on January 14, 1952, your entire company July Fourth will be July Fifth this year Patriotic exercises will be held at 3:30 has qualified for the following National in the Canal Zone.
    [Show full text]
  • The Panama Canal 75Th Anniversary
    Nr/ PANAMA CANAL U-i-^ ^^^^ ^w ^r"'-*- - • «:'• 1! --a""'"!' "lt#;"l ii^'?:^, ^ L«^ riS^x- <t^mi a^ «t29) TP f-« RUlUiWiiIiT?;!!ive AiDum -T'te. 1914-1989 ; PANAIVii^ CANAL COMMISSION i /; BALBOA, REPUBLIC OF PANA^4A ADMINISTRATOR DEJ>UTY ADMINISTRATOR DP. McAuliffe Fernando Manfredo, Jr. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS :: : Wniic K. Friar The preparation of this special publication by the Office of Public Affairs involved the efforts of many people. Deserving special mention arc the photo lab technicians of the Graphic Branch, the Printing Office, the ?W Technical Resources Center, the Language Services Branch, and the Office of Executive Planning. Photographs are by Arthur Pollack, Kevin Jenkins, Armando DeGracia and Don Goode, who also shot the photo of Miraflores Locks that appears on the cover. Kaye Richey created the 75th Anniversary slogan and adapted the album text from the work of Gil Williams and of Richard Wainio of the Office of Executive Planning. Melvin D. Kennedy, Jr., designed the album and served as photo editor. Jaime Gutierrez created the 75th Anniversary logo and did the album layout. James J. Reid and Jos6 S. Alegria Ch. of the Printing Office were invaluable in the layout and typesetting process. An Official publication of the Panama Canal Commission, April 1989 <«•-!*»'•* J-V-y I m epuTu Administrator on the 75th Anniversary of the Panasr '\ eventy-five years ago, the world hailed the monumental engineeriiip^^^?x'emi3nt of the V> century. The opening of the Panama Canal on August 15, 1914, fulfillecJ ih»; ccnturies-olH . .^gjWEFt^" dream of uniting the world's two great oceans and established a new li.'k 'n the v;orld .
    [Show full text]
  • The Panama Canal Review Our Cover
    COLLECTIOM Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from University of Florida, George A. Smathers Libraries http://www.archive.org/details/panamacanalrevie1976pana Of JL« CANAL EVIE CENTENNIAI EDITION 1976 I -.''• V From the Governor of the fanal Zone on the 200th anniversary of the United States Governor Harold R. Parfitt IN 1976, AS WE CELEBRATE nental Divide; constructing the largest This outstanding record was made the Bicentennial of the United earth dam ever built up to that time; possible by a dedicated work force States, the construction of the Panama designing and building the most of Americans and Panamanians, who - Canal stands out as one of the greatest massive canal locks ever envisioned; continue today, as the} have done milestones in the history of the nation. constructing the largest gates ever in the past, to operate this vital swung; conquering devastating utility for the benefit of all the It not only opened the way for landslides; and solving environmental nations of the world. westward expansion, it also gave the and health problems of enormous maritime world one of its most proportions. important links in the lanes of international commerce. As we look back over 200 years of history, it is fitting that we pay tribute Among the great peaceful endeavors to the builders of the Canal, to those of mankind that have contributed men and women of many nationalities significantly to progress in the world, whose initiative, determination, and the construction of the Canal stands devotion to duty were responsible for as an awe-inspiring achievement. its successful completion.
    [Show full text]
  • Panama Canal Brochure
    e-brochure September — December Panama Canal Cruises The Holland America Line e-brochure offers you enhanced information to help you plan your cruise vacation. In addition to all the essential details included in our printed brochure — port descriptions and photos, itineraries, itinerary maps, and ship deck plans — the e-brochure provides clickable links to the Holland America Line website www.hollandamerica.com for up-to-date information and resources. The Panama Canal Cruises e-brochure is a document in the Adobe® Portable Document Format (PDF), a publicly available format used by organizations around the world for secure, reliable electronic document distribution. Anyone can open this PDF document on any system — regardless of the software platform, the original application, or the availability of specific fonts — using free Adobe Reader® software that you can download here. The e-brochure is designed for Adobe Reader® versions . and higher. You can navigate through the document and access the online material quickly and easily, using the navigation bar at the bottom of the page. To enlarge any part of the document, click on the "Exit/Enter Full Screen Mode" button and you will be able to use Acrobat Reader's zoom tool. click on the “explore additional information online” button to go directly to the holland america line website. you must be connected to the internet. www.hollandamerica.com Come�explore�the�world in classic elegance. that never goes out of style. Time-honored From European Fresh flowers There�is a certain�kind of elegance nautical detailing, bronzes to provide an elegant It’s found in the gleaming curve of a teak deck chair, sumptuous such as polished a remarkable touch, and you’ll appointments and telling details.
    [Show full text]
  • 4 F^/0Y^^ Caribbean Journal of Science, Vol
    :4 f^/0y^^ Caribbean journal of Science, Vol. 41, No. 3, 544-582, 2005 Copyright 2005 College of Arts and Sciences University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Review of the Western Atlantic Porcellanidae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura) with New Records, Systematic Observations, and Comments on Biogeography IRENE TERESA RODRIGUEZ1, GONZALO HERNANDEZ2, AND DARRYL L. FELDER1* ^Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, P.O. Box 42451, Lafayette, Louisiana 70504, U.S.A. ^Corresponding author: [email protected] 2Universidad de Oriente, Apartado Postal 074, La Asuncion, Isla Margarita, Venezuela ABSTRACT.—Fifty years following a major revision by Haig (1956) and after numerous additions and changes of status, the porcelain crab fauna of the western Atlantic numbers 48 valid species plus two undescribed species herein reported (Neopisosoma sp. and Pachycheles sp.). Eleven genera are known for the region, including three new genera (Neopisosoma, Clastotoechus, and Parapetrolisthes). The monospecific genus Madarateuchus, established by Harvey (1999) to receive Clastotoechus vanderhorsti, is rejected. Pisidia was resurrected, and Porcellanopsis was combined with Megalobrachium. Prompted by our efforts to under­ stand biogeographic relationships of porcellanids from Bocas del Toro, Panama, our study of over 400 western Atlantic records revealed undescribed species and northward range extensions for four species (Petrolisthes quadratus to U.S.A., Petrolisthes rosariensis and P. sanmartini to Belize, and Megalobrachium mortenseni to Honduras). Preliminary morphological and molecular studies have shown that Petrolisthes armatus, P. galathinus, and P. tridentatus present considerable intra-specific variability throughout their range, suggesting that further revisionary studies are required to fully resolve their taxonomic status. KEYWORDS.—Porcellanids, porcelain crabs, Gulf of Mexico, distribution INTRODUCTION have been recorded in the Americas (Gore 1982).
    [Show full text]
  • Panama Canal Manmade Lake — “Too Big for Photo” Wired One Photographer
    Bridge Between Worlds CONSTRUCTION EVENT OF THE ceNTURY istory Even before its opening, reporters, photojournalists, adventurers H and the curious came from around the world to witness this colossal undertaking. What they found was almost beyond description: Locks with walls 1,000-feet long, gates seven-feet thick, the world’s largest Teddy Roosevelt Admirers poured into the locks for a close-up look. Panama Canal manmade lake — “too big for photo” wired one photographer. Canal Panama Early efforts A flood of water As early as the days of Columbus, man was set on finding a sea-level To provide the perpetual water supply necessary to operate the locks, an shortcut through the American landmass. But not until Frenchman earthen dam was built across the Chagres Ferdinand de Lesseps, fresh from his triumph of building the Suez Canal River, causing flooding and creating in 1879, did anyone make a serious attempt. Long story short: The project Gatún Lake (at the time, the world’s was poorly managed, underfinanced, and in 1889 the French company largest artificial lake). In the process, hilltops became islands, as in the case went bankrupt. Clearly, an engineering project of this magnitude was too of Barro Colorado Island, a lush living much for a private company. This was a job for a nation. laboratory for the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Enter the United States On time, under budget In 1902 President Theodore Roosevelt revived the dream. The United States In 1913, a full year ahead of schedule and purchased the French holdings in Panama for a record $40 million.
    [Show full text]
  • Table of Content 5.0. Description of The
    TABLE OF CONTENT 5.0. DESCRIPTION OF THE BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT........................................... 5­1 5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................. 5­1 5.1.1 Scope and Objectives............................................................................ 5­1 5.1.2 Methodologies and Information Resources ........................................... 5­2 5.2 Characterization of the Flora and Vegetation Cover ......................................... 5­2 5.2.1 Outline of the Flora in the Panama Canal Watershed ............................ 5­3 5.2.2 Classification of the Vegetation of the General Study Area (GSA), Specific Study Area (SSA), and Direct Impact Area (DIA)................... 5­6 5.2.2.1 Forests ..................................................................................... 5­6 5.2.2.2 Shrubland................................................................................. 5­8 5.2.2.3 Grassland ................................................................................. 5­9 5.2.3 Vegetation Cover and Characterization of the Flora in the Specific Study Area (SSA) and Direct Impact Area (DIA) by Zone................... 5­9 5.2.3.1 Atlantic Coast (Zone 1)............................................................ 5­9 5.2.3.2 Gatun Locks (Zone 2) .............................................................5­11 5.2.3.3 Gatun Lake (Zone 3)...............................................................5­13 5.2.3.4 Culebra Cut (Zone 4) ............................................................5­15
    [Show full text]
  • PANAMAX 4 Panamax: the Maximum Size Ship Designed to Transit the Panama Canal …And There Were Four of Us
    PANAMAX 4 Panamax: the maximum size ship designed to transit the Panama Canal …and there were four of us April 18, 2007 (Wednesday) The sky was April 19 (Thursday) Thursday we walked hazy as Alaska flight number eight headed east through Central Park to the American Museum to Newark. At 35,000 feet nothing was visible of Natural History. The museum was wonder- below but farmland, flat and grey out to the ho- ful, but is huge so we saw only a small fraction rizon. We’d left University Place, in Washing- of the displays. Had an early dinner at the Eu- ton State around 6:10 AM (GMT-8). The four ropa Café, did some more shopping and then of us, our driver and our luggage stuffed into a crashed. Lincoln Town Car. Had the air bags deployed we’d likely to have been crushed by our own April 20 (Friday) On Friday we took an all luggage! day comprehensive bus tour of Manhattan. We Our 737-800 lifted off from Seattle’s had a great guide and fearless driver. We drove SEATAC airport at 09:10. Thanks to Jim’s by many New York landmarks including The Alaska miles we were flying First Class, again, Empire State, Flatiron, and Chrysler buildings something we haven’t done since our cruse to and financial district. After the tour-provided Mexico in 2003. We arrived in Newark around lunch, we walked over to the Winter Garden to 17:00 then took the “Supershuttle” to our hotel view the construction work at Ground Zero.
    [Show full text]
  • Report Panama Port Development
    Report Panama Port Development Investment Opportunities in the Maritime Sector 2017 Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Panama | Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Panama | Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Panama | Embassy of th lines navigate their global shipping routes. This has already born fruits as the expansion has led to an impressive increase in the ‘Hub of the Americas’ aggregated volume handled: the expanded Canal has registered an increase in tonnage of 23% in its first year after expansion, Over the past decade, Panama’s strategic location and its while its revenues increased 12.5% during the same period of integration into the world economy have converted the country time. into the fastest growing economy in Latin America and the Caribbean; transforming it into the ‘Hub of the Americas’. The The continuous developments around the Canal present country seeks to continue being competitive by amplifying challenges for which Dutch expertise can provide solutions. services and forming clusters to improve the interconnectivity Within the maritime sector six central developments can be between all sectors. In the government’s five-year plan for 2015- identified: 2019, a total public investment of USD 6.4 billion in transport 1. Peak hours and logistics has been indicated, of which USD 109 million will 2. Automation specifically be invested in maritime infrastructure. 3. Sustainability 4. LNG Market Furthermore, Panama has recently established diplomatic ties 5. Agro-logistics with China, the second biggest user - after the US - of the 6. Maritime Auxiliary Services Panama Canal. As it is expanding its global trade ambitions with its ‘One Belt One Road’ infrastructure-building initiative, The expansion of the Panama Canal has led to the establishment access to the eastern coasts of both Latin America and the US is of new projects in the maritime sector, thus creating business expected to be of growing importance for Beijing.
    [Show full text]