Building specialized docks for the auxiliary marine industry and increasing the capacity to deliver quickly by air are some of the challenges that Panama will face in the coming years.
The Panamanian economy depends heavily on the logistics sector, but currently faces new challenges because of the increasing competition from other regional players who offer better costs in managing cargo on a large scale.
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.
The Mexican Volaris announced that next year will turn Costa Rica into its hub, from where it will open flights to South America and will put two or three more aircraft based in the Central American country.
The representatives of the low-cost airline reported that their plan for 2019 is to start direct flights to South America from Juan Santamaria International Airport and expand from four to seven the number of aircraft departing from Costa Rica.
From October 18 to 20, logistics and foreign trade companies will be gathering together in Panama City to take part in conferences on issues related to the sector.
The event, which will take place at the ATLAPA Convention Center, will involve companies and consultants in logistics and foreign trade. Expo Logística Panama will be held in an exhibition area with 5,360m² of space, where about 150 local and foreign companies will be taking part in more than 250 modules with products and services geared towards the area of logistics and multimodal transport.
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.
As a gateway to 90 destinations in America and Europe, and soon Asia, Panama International Airport is venturing into the high value air cargo business.
The development of the logistics area at Tocumen International Airport will bring opportunities for infrastructure development in terms of roads, land leveling and construction and fitting of galleys and sheds.
Money in the pocket for every grandstanding politician and every wannabe business consultant, logistics in Central America is a much talked about theme on which no action is actually taken.
EDITORIAL
Logistics is vital for sustainable economic development, and it is perhaps the area of business management that has made the greatest strides in the last 50 years.
The delay in the resurfacing of the runway at the International Airport has prevented logistics companies from using larger aircraft for their operations in the country.
The scheduled execution time to complete the asphalt layer of 3.2 km of the main runway ends on June 15 and the company responsible has reported that the deadline will not be met due to "weather" problems, causing the company DHL to postpone the planned establishment of its hub in the country. In addition, the unfinished remodeling work on airport facilities is affecting the flow of Avianca passengers which has increased its "hub" in El Salvador.
Major airports are not only business magnets, but also regional economic accelerators, which act as catalysts and promoters, for miles around, of urban development and business.
While in the rest of the world the development of the city-airports, or aerotropolii, has been remarkable , in Latin America there are only two places that qualify to be called as such: Belo Horizonte International in Brazil, and Tocumen International airport in Panama.