Following the authorization granted to TCQ by the Superintendency of Tax Administration to function as a temporary customs warehouse, its entry into operations for October has been announced.
Anarticle in Prensalibre.comreports that"...The auditor of the TCQ, Alexander Aizenstatd said that with the authorization published in Diario de Centro América on Friday, an intermediate stage has started where there a link is formed with the authorities of the SAT, in order to subsequently ask for the entry into operation.'Closer ties have now been made with the National Port Commission for certification and following this a certification will be requested for the Marina.The plan is for the TCQ to be operational at the end of September, or beginning of October. ' "
The concessionaire said it will invest between $150 million in the first phase of the project, building an additional 350 meters of quays and acquiring two super-post-Panamax cranes.
And in a second phase Operadora Portuaria Central (OPC) plans to invest between $100 and $130 million in the construction of 200 meters of quay with a depth of 14 meters to allow the passage of larger ships, four more Super postpanamax cranes, and 10 hectares of container yard.The first phase could start in early 2017 and could be ready in 2018, said Valmir Araujo, senior commercial manager of the OPC.
Panama Ports Company wants the tender process be annulled and to be directly granted use of the Corozal area in order to extend the operation of the terminal at Balboa.
While the Varela administration is preparing a project to give the future port in Corozal the same exemptions as those enjoyed at other port terminals, the current concessionaire of the ports of Balboa and Cristobal is redoubling its efforts in the process to get a concession awarded to it for the use of the area in Corozal so that it can extend its operations in Balboa.
In Costa Rica, exporters must report the weight of each container 24 hours before the shipment of goods, by means of a declaration.
The Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) has announced that the draft regulations which will govern the verification system for the weight of containers leaving the country by sea, are now ready. Still pending is the signing of the executive decree which will validate it so that it will come into effect.
The Panama Canal Authority plans to publish conditions for the tender in August, after participants have completed a pre qualification process and consultation period.
Today March 11th is the date of receipt of proposals from companies interested in the construction and concession of the port. In November , the ACP announced that eleven companies had expressed interest in the project. Now it is hoped there will be at least four proposals so that there is an adequate level of competition with which to proceed with the tender.
In Costa Rica the will of the state to impose the rule of law against the de facto power exercised by any conglomerate continues to shrink.
The concessionaire APM Terminals has reported losses of up to $200,000 a day because of blockades by truckers who are obstructing the route to the construction site for the container terminal in Moin.
At least 200 carriers have blocked route 257 in the Caribbean of Costa Rica for a fifth day, which has brought economic losses both for companies who have to use this route as well as the Dutch company APM Terminals. The road in question leads to the construction site of the Moin Container Terminal (TCM). According to APM Terminals each passing day will mean losses of some $200,000.
The Ministry of Public Works does not know how to finance the 2.8 kilometers access road that has to build as part of the agreement with the concessionaire APM Terminals, in charge of the construction of the mega port in Moin.
Ministry officials admit they do not have any funds defined or know which company will build the four-lane road that will connect Route 32 to the entrance of the container terminal to be built by APM Terminals in Moin.
The terminal which is being built by APM Terminals in the Costa Rican Caribbean will be able to receive vessels containing refrigerated cargo containers of a larger capacity than those currently arriving at the port.
Fresh fruits and meat exporters are some of the productive sectors that will benefit the most once the mega port being built in Limon, Costa Rica comes into operation.
PSA Panama International Terminal has proposed extending the cargo container port operating in the western area of the capital.
Engineering and financing aspects for the work have already been approved, with only authorization from the National Assembly still pending before construction work can start, which is estimated will take about 2 years.
The ACP is preparing the prequalification process and negotiated tender for the design, construction, development and operation of a container port in the area of West Corozal.
The port will be developed on land owned by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), and will be done in two stages, which include "... A construction area of 2,081 linear feet of piers, patio and container structures such as offices and warehouses. "
A bill has been endorsed authorizing Psa Panama International Terminal to build and operate a container terminal in the grounds of the former Rodman Naval Station, at the southern entrance of the Canal.
From a statement issued by presidency of Panama:
The Cabinet has approved a resolution authorizing Minister of the Presidency Alvaro Aleman to submit to the National Assembly a bill approving the contract A-2005-2014 of 28 October 2014, signed between the state and company Psa Panama International Terminal, SA.
The Autonomous Executive Port Commission of El Salvador will be awarding a concession for the Multi Purpose Port Terminal specializing in containers, Phase I, Port of La Union.
The purpose of the award is to ensure the provision of a specialized container that is efficient, reliable, uninterrupted, high quality and safe at a lower cost for users of port services.
There are so many obstacles faced by the project being run by Dutch APM Terminals that it begs the question as to whether the Costa Rican government really wants it to happen.
Since it was awarded construction of the New Mega Port for specialized container ships in Moin, the Dutch company APM Terminals has faced dozens of lawsuits and other legal measures in the courts, which has maintained continuous doubts about the realization of the project.
Lack of clear leadership, internal chaos in the main political parties and parliamentary fragmentation are threatening Costa Rica's business climate.
Contradictory statements over the legal certainty of the project for a mega container port in Moin ($1 billion), made by the very probable next president of Costa Rica, Luis Guillermo Solis, and the founder of his party (Citizen Action) and deputy chief of the legislative group, Otton Solis have generated understandable alarm in the business community.