Historic Drought, Hot Seas Slow Panama Canal Shipping
Before the Ever Max ship carrying lava lamps, sofas, Halloween costumes and artificial Christmas trees could make its inaugural Panama Canal voyage this month, a historic drought forced it to drop weight by offloading hundreds of containers.Weather-related disruptions denied the vessel, owned by Taiwanese shipping company Evergreen Marine, a chance on Aug. 1 to set a record for carrying the most containers through the vital maritime shortcut that connects the Pacific and Atlantic…
Crowley Ships Unique Equipment for Smithsonian
Crowley Liner Services is in the process of transporting one 20-ft. flatbed and one 20-ft. unique satellite equipment from Houston, Texas to Panama as part of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute's Jason Project, a research and learning series on rainforests. The cargo departed Houston by ship on Jan. 2 and is expected to arrive in Panama January 9. Crowley was chosen for the job by Total Export of Florida Inc. and Leblanc Enterprises, Ltd. The satellite, which is the only one like it in the world, required careful handling by Crowley and was secured onto the vessel for transport with hooks and wires. The satellite and its production equipment will allow the broadcast of 55 shows (five shows per day for 11 days) for JASON XV: Rainforests at the Crossroads…
Panama Ready To Step Out On Its Own
As heads of state gather in Panama for Dec. 14 ceremonies in advance of the transfer of the Panama Canal on the Dec. 31, the small Caribbean nation of 2.8 million prepares to step out of Washington's shadow. Since the U.S.S. Nashville guaranteed Panama's independence from Colombia in 1903, the U.S. has maintained a military garrison in Panama and kept administrative control of the canal it built across the isthmus. For decades, Panamanian nationalists rallied to the cry of "one flag, one territory," calling the 10-mile (16 km)-wide U.S.-controlled Canal Zone a "stake through the nation's heart." But when that stake finally comes out at noon on Dec. 31 and the 50-mile (82 km) waterway passes to Panama's control, it will wake up to the challenge of full nationhood.
Panama Canal Receives ISO 14001
More than 100 people at the Miraflores Locks as Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance awarded upon the Department of Security and Environment's Environmental Division of the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) the coveted ISO 14001 certification. Juan Héctor Diaz, director of the Department of Security and Environment, accepted the certification at a ceremony at the Miraflores Locks Visitor's Center. Participants included the Academy for Environmental Education Development (AED), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), Panama Ministry of Health (MINSA), Panama National Environment Authority (ANAM) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
