The Panama Canal Authority released a formal proposal to change its pricing structure to move toward a market-oriented business model that allows for greater customer service and continual improvements to the Canal. As global trade continues to expand, the shipping industry has evolved significantly and the Canal's 90-year-old pricing structure needs to be changed to meet the increasing demands of a dynamic market place. "This historic shift in our business model is the first step toward changing the long-standing, one-size-fits-all pricing structure and replace it with a system that is more tailored to individual customer needs," said Alberto Aleman Zubieta, the Canal Administrator.