Making up 18.53% of the country’s GDP at a value of $6.6bn in 2014, transport, storage and communications has historically been a pillar of Panama’s growth. The opening of the Panama Canal in 1914 and the subsequent handover of the passage from the US to local authorities at the end of 1999 has been a catalyst of the country’s economic success. Many activities related to...
Panama has a long history of transport and logistics infrastructure investment, with one of the most significant certainly being the widening of the Panama Canal. With an initial budget of $5.25bn, recurrent costs have raised the cost of the project to more than $6bn. Some estimate the grand total may reach $7bn, over 30% more than originally planned. Cost overrun claims...
With access to both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans within a few kilometres of each other, Panama is one of the best-located countries for maritime activities globally. Added to its location, the Panama Canal and its expansion make it a key player in world commerce. The current container-handling capacity for the Pacific side of Panama is estimated at 5m twenty-foot...
Although historically the Panama Canal has been the top revenue earner, the contribution of canal revenues as a percentage in the transport and logistics sector has been gradually declining. In 2008 income from the canal represented 46.6% of sector GDP, while in 2013 it amounted to 37%. This shows that other transport modalities, mainly land-based cargo, have increased...
Home to around one-quarter of the country’s population of 3.8m, Panama City, the capital, has been facing aggravating traffic congestion for some time. Strong economic growth has resulted in increased automobile purchases, domestic migrations from rural areas and a steady flow of international tourists and businessmen – all of which add pressure...
Ever since the country wrested control of the Panama Canal in 1999, economic development has taken on several new dimensions including the rapid growth of the logistics sector. The country’s location at the epicentre of trade in the region, growing presence as a hub for logistics and trade, relatively small size and influential financial sector...
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