Investment in the construction of new ports is essential for a country like Panama, whose economy depends heavily on the logistics sector, to continue to compete globally in the coming years.
Since nearly one third of Panama's Gross Domestic Product is created by the logistics sector, the development of this productive activity is of great importance for the country.
The Social Security Fund of Panama granted the Consorcio Salud en Control the contract for the service of storage, distribution and final dispensation of medicines at the national level, for a period of four years.
According to official information published on April 7, the winner of the tender was the business consortium composed by the companies Intercontinental de Medicamentos, S.A. de CV and PMG Logistic Corp.
Faced with the advance of the coronavirus epidemic, businessmen in the region are asking citizens to follow only official recommendations to avoid giving way to disorienting versions that only contribute to generate instability and uncertainty.
In Central America, two countries have registered people infected with the virus. Costa Rica was the first to report cases of COVID-19 (also known as coronavirus) and so far the nation has registered nine infected people. Panama made its first case official on 9 March.
A 7.7-kilometer logistic corridor that will serve for the mobilization of cargo in the Pacific sector was inaugurated, which will serve ports, industrial parks, factories and distribution centers.
Trucks using the Canal Logistic Corridor must be affiliated with the Cargo Pass system, similar to the one operating in the North and South Corridors and the Colón-Panama Highway.
Because Colombian ports have a lower operating cost base than Panamanians, the South American country competes to appropriate the logistics business in the region.
Until a while ago, Panama led the logistics operations in the region, however, there are some signs that indicate that this situation could be changing, since the growth in the movement of maritime cargo in the country has reported a slowdown in recent years.
Investing in infrastructure that improves the connection between its main ports is one of the most determining factors for Panama to recover the competitiveness that is beginning to lose regionally and globally.
The Panama Maritime Chamber (CMP) presented its strategy "Maritime Vision Country 2019-2024", in which it analyzes that although the Canal was expanded and remains competitive at the port level in the region, the country needs to improve in terms of institutionality, human resources, infrastructure, processes and technology, to continue giving tools to the logistics sector to continue its development.
On April 18 and 19, companies from the logistics and multimodal transport sector in Nicaragua will be gathering together to exhibit their products and services and explore business opportunities.
The fair is being organized by the Ibero-American Institute for Business Strengthening (Inife), and will take place at the Camino Real hotel in Managua.
Ten companies have already expressed interest in the free zone that Tocumen is set to develop in the airport's cargo terminal, whose tender is scheduled for the end of November this year.
The logistics zone will cover a total area of 35 hectares, but the first stage, which will begin in the first quarter of 2018 with earthworks, will include the development of 18 hectares.
The Asian country believes that the improvement in the country's logistical conditions as a result of the Canal expansion, represents an opportunity to set up a distribution platform geared towards Latin America.
"... 'Panama already serves as a bridge, or as a window for the transit of Chinese goods into Latin America, and I think with the logistics development in Panama this role will increase more and will be made more use of by Chinese enterprises'" said the permanent representative at the Office of Chinese-Panamanian Business Development, Wang Weihua, according to Laestrella.com.pa.
On October 18 in San Salvador, logistics companies will be gathering together to discuss issues related to new models of distribution and logistics.
Among the topics to be discussed at the event organized by GS1 are Collaborative Logistics, technology as an enabler of value networks, Visibility in value networks, the challenges of the digital world, innovation, mobile technologies and networking, sustainability and Triple Baseline (Money - People - Planet), among other things.
Ten companies have already shown interest in setting up in the logistics center to be developed in Tocumen, whose business plan and regulations for a free zone could be ready in September.
Among the activities that will be developed by the companies operating in the logistics park are packing and repacking, as well as product manufacturing and other complementary activities.
As soon as the third set of locks starts operating, the Canal Authority plans to develop logistics and industrial projects in the thousand hectares located west of the waterway, near the former Rodman base.
Building a roll-on roll-of port, an industrial area and an area to store refrigerated cargo are part of the recommendations that Antea Group made to the Panama Canal Authority, after it requested a study to determine the feasibility of developing the area. The main objective of the Panama Canal Authority is to take advantage of the expansion of the road and increase its value, providing complementary services to local and multinational companies.
In an area measuring 200 hectares the airport administration will develop a free zone for logistics companies, investing $30 million in the first stage.
The airport administrators said that "... the plans focus on adapting the 200 hectares that are part of the land area of the cargo terminal, transforming them mainly so that they can be developed by companies working in logistics services, storage of goods, assembly, high - tech companies related to aviation and airports, processing of finished or semi - finished products, specialized health services, among other things. "
The area in the Pacific entrance to the Canal could be leased by the State for the construction and operation of logistics infrastructure such as warehouses, cold storage facilities, ship repairs and a port for vehicles.
The 1,200 hectares owned by the State and "discovered" after cleaning and dredging of the areas surrounding the Canal expansion are part of a development plan that the Ministry of Affairs of the Canal is preparing to start when the new locks come into operation. The initial proposal is to lease the land to private companies so that they can develop the area, providing logistics services, transportation and communications to related industries.
The government has announced a committee formed of entrepreneurs who will design a national logistics strategy, focusing on redirecting the Colon Free Zone, integral panning for ports and the technological inter-oceanic corridor area.
The purpose of this Committee consisting of 7 members of the private sector, is to define together the plans, programs and goals of a Master Plan which aims to develop the sector as a whole.