Panamanian authorities have presented a project to a Spanish shipping company to establish a maritime connection between Colon and Cartagena.
The Tourism Authority of Panama has presented the project to the Spanish shipping company Acciona Trasmediterránea, who might be interested in operating the route.
"Acciona Trasmediterránea is a major shipping company offering ferry services between the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, Ceuta and Melilla.
The company Panamerican Seaway announced at the beginning of the year that that the ferry would start functioning in May making its 12-hour journey which would link the port of Colon with the terminal of Cartagena.
The project aroused great expectations, but never materialized.
Now it being is reported that "Aventura 2000, the agency that would be responsible for the operation in Panama, said the project has been canceled until further notice and it is not known if it will ever come to fruition."
The start of operations was announced for May 10 but the permits from the governments of Colombia and Panama are still lacking.
Some internet postings point to the possibility that regional airlines are lobbying to prevent the activity of Cartagena-Colombia Ferry, which would pose serious competition.
According to an article in Visitpanama.com "Nissos Rodos is the name of the ship that will link the port of Colon 2000 in the city of Colon on the Caribbean Sea in the Republic of Panama with the Colombian port city of Cartagena, with a journey taking just 12 hours and costing $99 per person. "
A shipping vessel owned by Panamerican Seaways with capacity for 1,500 passengers and 500 cars, will begin travelling in May between Cartagena de Indias in Colombia and Colon in Panama.
Operators calculate that between 800 and 1,000 people will be carried on the "Nissos Rodos" ferry per trip, with rates starting from $99 and going up to $508.
The ferry will leave Colon for Cartagena at 18.00 local time on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and will depart from Cartagena for Colon 2000 at the same time on Fridays, Sundays and Tuesdays.