The government plans to analyze the feasibility of building a light rail line which would connect line 3 with other provinces, in a first stage to Penonomé, a second to Santiago and a third to David, Chiriqui.
In a statement on Presidencia.gob.pa, it is indicated that "... along with the construction of Metro Line 3 to the sector of West Panama, the administration has scheduled the feasibility studies necessary for the construction of a Light Rail line to connect Line 3 with the rest of the country, through a first tranche to Penonomé, a second to Santiago and a third stretch to David, Chiriqui.
Problems in the computer systems at Balboa port have slowed container cargo on the railroad.
Currently three thousand containers a week are being transported when normally in the same period of the year nearly eight to nine thousand containers a week are mobilized.
The highway between the capital and Ciudad Colón gives advantages to trucking over rail transport.
Every week an average of over 400 containers are transported between the Pacific and Atlantic via highway. While rates are higher than those for rail, the timeframes are better, indicated shipping companies.
"The railroad moves 35% of cargo going through Panamanian ports and is considered a link in the logistics chain in the country. Currently the railway is operating at 40% capacity and, in recent weeks, it has moved 7.500 containers a week on average when demand is 12,000 containers", reports Thebulletinpanama.com
Panama's advantages in combining sea, air and rail transport will be featured at the XVI International Maritime Conference and Exposition.
Businessman Eduardo Segura emphasized that Panama’s advantage in business regarding logistics lies in its capabilities as a multimodal center, where railway, ports, air and sea freight used simultaneously are the country’s greatest strength, which must be further advanced.
There is never too much facilitation for commerce: we welcome the Chinese-Colombian project to unite by ground the Pacific with the Atlantic.
The Panama Canal Authority understands that and beyond feeling prepared for the competition this project would represent, they indicate that the more developed infrastructure the region has, the more it becomes a logistics hub.
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