The Panama Metro is expanding the Panama Canal, a subway construction will be carried out at the crossing of line 3, to be executed in two sections that will have a length of 6 thousand meters.
CentralAmericaData's Commercial section provides an up-to-date list of public and private construction projects that have submitted Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) to the respective institutions in each country.
The Panama Chamber of Commerce requested the Panama Canal Authority to postpone the start of collection of the fee for the use of fresh water in the Canal, which would begin to be paid on February 15, 2020.
On January 13, the Panama Canal Authority announced that this year "... the value of water will be incorporated into the line of other maritime services through a charge for fresh water, which will depend on the availability of the resource at the time of the vessel's transit. The freshwater charge is applicable to all vessels over 125 feet in length that transit the Canal:
Two decades after selling 49% of the shares of the Bayano hydroelectric dam to AES, the Panamanian government is preparing to begin negotiations to buy the shares held by AES.
The authorization for the government to begin negotiations was completed through Cabinet Council Resolution No. 106 of October 28, which endorses the start of the efforts, which aim to draw a roadmap to transfer the hydroelectric Bayano to the State.
According to the Panama Canal Authority, NG Power only has permission to build a 130 MW plant, so it will have to go through a new procedure if it expects to develop the 670 MW plant, as planned from the beginning.
The permit requested by Panama NG Power and approved by the Canal Board in 2011, is for two generators of up to 45 MW each and a third steam generator of up to 40 MW, which together total 130 MW.
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.
GUPC, the consortium in charge of the Canal expansion, must return $848 million in advances to the Panama Canal Authority.
From the Panama Canal Authority press release:
December 12th, 2018. Contractor of the Design and Construction Contract for the Third Set of Locks of the Panama Canal Expansion Program, Grupo Unidos por el Canal, S.A.
With the purpose of diversifying its income and attracting more visitors, the authorities of the Panama Canal plan to develop new tourist attractions during the next five years.
Representatives of the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) informed that after the Canadian firm Forrs conducted a study to identify the attractions that could be developed, it was concluded that some of the investments that will be granted in concession for its exploitation are the expansion of the visitors center and the construction of a new one, a 2,500 m2 park for children's activities and the operation of a cable car.
Two years after the publication of the tender, the Varela administration and the Panama Fourth Bridge Consortium signed the contract for the design and construction of the Fourth Bridge over the Panama Canal.
From the statement of the Ministry of Public Works:
November 9th, 2018. Today, the Government of the Republic of Panama, through the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) carried out the signing of the contract with the Panama Fourth Bridge Consortium, formed by the companies CHINA COMMUNICATIONS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LTD and CHINA HARBOUR ENGINEERING COMPANY LTD, for the design and construction of the Fourth Bridge over the Panama Canal, in accordance with the award as a result of the tender for the Best Value with Separate Evaluation No. 2016-0-09-0-99-LV-004736, for an investment amount of B/.1,420,027,324.73.
Increased cargo traffic, improving the availability of water for the passage of ships and construction of the rolling cargo port, are some of the challenges the authorities of the interoceanic route face for the coming years.
Representatives from the Panama Canal Authority reported that the levels of traffic currently being reported have already reached the figures expected to be reached in 2020.
At the end of the fiscal year it is estimated that the number of trips in the 2017-2018 season amounted to 256, which exceeds the 250 vessels reported during 2016-2017.
According to sector authorities, the 256 passenger ships that traveled through the Canal in the 2017-2018 cycle transported at least 300 thousand people, and for the 2018-2019 season which is about to begin, more than 230 cruise ships are expected to make trips.
Among the Canal Authority's investment plans for 2019 is construction of a second dump for the management of the reservoirs, and the purchase of a floating dock and crane.
The budget approved by the Assembly for next year includes specific items requested by the Canal Authority (ACP), which project several investments to improve the performance of the interoceanic highway.
After several appeals were filed in the tender to build a fourth bridge over the Panama Canal, confirmation has been given to the award of the contract to the Panama Cuarto Puente consortium, made up of Chinese companies.
The General Directorate of Public Procurement confirmed that the performance of the Ministry of Public Works during the adjudication process was correct, and ratified the decisions taken in the process of awarding the work.
In addition to the objection presented by the Astaldi - Daelim Consortium, a legal case has now been filed by one of the consortia disqualified at the beginning of the process, called Cuarto Puente CSCEC-CREC, made up of Chinese companies.
According to the Price Report (Technical and Economic), the Consorcio Cuarto Puente CSCEC-CREC, comprised of China State Construction Engineering Corporation LTD and China Railway Group Limited, was disqualified by the Evaluation Commission, since the aforementioned business group did not meet the minimum mandatory requirements set out in the tender documents.
After the tender was suspended in response to an appeal submitted by Astaldi-Daelim, the Ministry of Public Works reported that this will not affect the outcome of the process, in which the consortium of Chinese construction companies won.
Last week a complaint from the Astaldi - Daelim Consortium, which argued that in thecommission report, as well as in the development of the contractor selection process, some situations occurred which were openly contrary to the due process of the tender.
Due to an appeal claim presented by the Astaldi - Daelim Consortium, the suspension has been ordered of the tender act for the design and construction of the fourth bridge over the Panama Canal, in which Chinese companies obtained the best rating.
In the qualification process carried out by the tender board, the consortium formed by the companies China State Construction Engineering Corporation LTD and China Railway Group Limited, was the winner of the tender with an economic proposal of $1.42 billion and an overall score of 69,9%.
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