Panama Canal News

Guatemala’s Superintendence of Tax Administration (SAT), customs entity, has recognized APM Terminals Quetzal’s transparency and security through its accreditation as an Authorized Economic Operator (AEO). The terminals achieved a 100% compliance rating.The terminal uses a state-of-the-art terminal operating system to optimize security, control and cargo management. It also enables customs and customers to work together as efficiently as possible.Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) recognized the terminal’s compliance with international and local security standards…

The oil market has recently been shaken up by geopolitical events, but volatility in the price difference between low and high sulphur fuel cannot be explained by that alone – the uncertainty is the chaos factor.The uncertainty of the upcoming IMO 2020 Sulphur cap regulation (IMO2020) is having a big impact on the bunker market. Whereas, the price for Marine Gas Oil Low Sulphur (MGO LS) has largely remained stable, the price for High Sulphur Fuel oil (HSFO) has been become increasingly more volatile in recent months.

BIMCO members can now monitor the price spread between Marine Gas Oil Low Sulphur and 380 centistoke High Sulphur Fuel Oil in 32 different ports around the world with daily information supplied by MABUX.The service is intended to assist members in making bunkering decisions before and after January 1, 2020.“We have seen significant fluctuations in the market over the past couple of months – fluctuations that can only be explained by the massive uncertainty about the future. It is currently not operating by market fundamentals.

The Panama Canal is a strategic crossroads for maritime traffic, and is arguably one of the most important maritime developments in the past century. Here we take a deeper dive into the history behind that famous strip of waterway.The present canal, which saw its first vessel transits in 1914, along with possible alternatives through Nicaragua and Mexico, had actually been on the minds of merchants, explorers and military/political strategists since the Age of Exploration in early 1500’s.

The Panama Canal has closed the 2019 fiscal year (FY19) with a record tonnage of 469 million Panama Canal tons (PC/UMS), a 6.2 percent increase compared to FY2018.With this figure, the waterway exceeds the 450.7 million PC/UMS tons projection for FY2019, as well as the record tonnage of 442 million PC/UMS tons registered in the previous fiscal year. These record-setting results reflect the Canal workforce's commitment to efficiency and ongoing investments in infrastructure, which will allow the waterway to meet the growing demand and offer a reliable and safe service to customers.

The Panama Canal and the Port of Rotterdam signed a Memorandum Understanding (MOU) to promote international trade between Europe and the West Coast of South America.Through this agreement, the two organizations will work closely to optimize operations while encouraging economic growth and the exchange of information on new business development opportunities, including logistics parks and port development projects."The Expanded Canal continues to reshape global trade routes today…

Dr. Ricaurte Vásquez Morales was sworn-in during a ceremony held at the Panama Canal Administration Building in Panama City, becoming the fourth Panamanian Administrator of the waterway shortly before it celebrates its 20th year under Panamanian administration on December 31, 2019.Administrator Vásquez an economist with more than 30 years’ experience in the public and private sector said: "Just a few months short of the 20th anniversary of the transfer of the Canal to the Panamanian people, we face a distinctly different reality today.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipping company Gaslog Ltd said on Wednesday it had struck a deal to lease a tanker for 10 years to a gas-to-power project in Panama being developed by a Chinese company and supplied by Royal Dutch Shell.Gaslog will convert the Gaslog Singapore, currently used as a conventional LNG tanker on the short-term spot market, into a floating storage unit (FSU) that will receive and store LNG off the coast of Colon, a port on the mouth of the Panama canal.The…

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries company based in Yokohama, christened Mitsui & Co.(MOL) liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier named Marvel Heron.The 297.5-meter-long vessel is Mitsubishi Shipbuilding's newest carrier that achieves significant improvements in both LNG carrying capacity and fuel performance through adoption of a more efficient hull structure and an innovative hybrid propulsion system.After completion scheduled in September, the Marvel Heron will go into service primarily transporting LNG for the Cameron LNG Project…

Global bunker company Monjasa Group has acquired full ownership of five tankers ahead of IMO2020."Monjasa secures five tankers with a total 37,500 deadweight and thereby extends ownership of the supply chain across core markets in the Arabian Gulf, West Africa and the Panama Canal at a critical point of time in bunkering and shipping," said a press release from the global partner in the oil and shipping industries.Shipowners around the world are tightening marine fuel supplies…

All Shipping Agents, Owners, and Operators advised as to Scheduled Culvert Maintenance at Gatun Locks.Beginning at 0600 hours on Monday, August 26, 2019, until 0600 hours on Friday, September 6, 2019 (10 days), the center wall culvert of Gatun Locks will be out of service for scheduled maintenance. During this culvert outage, both lanes will remain in service, but due to the slower filling and emptying of the chambers, lockages are expected to take longer than usual.As a result, and in accordance with the rules governing the Transit Reservation System (NT Notice to Shipping No.

For the fourth consecutive year, Fitch Ratings has affirmed the Panama Canal's 'A' investment grade rating with a stable outlook for its long-term issuer default rating and its senior unsecured notes.The credit rating agency noted that the Panama Canal is "an underlying asset that is critical not only for Panama, but for international commerce, as demonstrated by its stable volume performance, solid competitive position, and well-diversified cargo mix," causing the Panama Canal volume profile to exhibit high levels of resilience.In addition…

The Panama Canal will allow vessels coming from Venezuela to transit the waterway provided they present the necessary paperwork, the canal authority's chief said on Wednesday, suggesting a new round of U.S. sanctions on the South American country may not make any difference to canal traffic.President Donald Trump's administration last week issued an executive order freezing all Venezuelan government assets in the United States. Shortly thereafter, U.S. officials ratcheted up threats against companies that do business with Venezuela.The measure did not explicitly place sanctions on non-U.S.

The Shanghai port has topped UNCTAD’s 2019 ranking of the world’s best-connected ports, released yesterday (7 August).The Chinese port garnered a connectivity score of 134 points, followed by the ports of Singapore (124.63 points), Pusan (114.45 points) in Korea and Ningbo (114.35 points), also in China. The index is set at 100 for the best-connected port in 2006, which was Hong Kong, China.Besides the Asian ports, the other ports on the top 10 list are those of Antwerp (94 points) in Belgium and Rotterdam (93 points) in the Netherlands.

Panama's Canal Authority said on Wednesday that the canal was operating normally and without delays, adding that no ships had been detained in the trade waterway.The entity posted the statement on Twitter in response to a tweet from Venezuela's Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who said a ship carrying 25,000 tonnes of soy had been detained in the canal.Reporting by Daina Beth Solomon

Container volume at Port Houston surged in the first half of 2019, rising 12 percent compared to that period last year. According to the Executive Director Roger Guenther the port facilities have handled nearly 1.5 Million TEU through the first half of 2019.The Houston ship channel also said in a press release that , the Port Commission awarded a contract not to exceed $39.7 million to Archer Western Construction, the top-ranked proposer among four finalists. A total of 53 companies…

Starting August 1 and until November 30, 2019, the Panama Canal will promote the implementation of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) annual recommendations on speed and maritime transit aimed at protecting cetaceans, which include whales, dolphins and other large aquatic mammals, during their nearby seasonal migration.With these measures, ships should proceed at a speed of not more than 10 knots in specified areas. Panama has monitored this requirement since December 1…

Global Shipping Industry Delivers Comments to Official Consultation on Proposed Modifications to Panama Canal Tolls.The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is conducting a public consultation on a proposal to adjust the Panama Canal tolls for containerships, vehicle carriers, dry bulk carriers, tankers, chemical carriers, LPG and LNG vessels, passenger vessels and small vessels. The proposed new toll charges are anticipated to enter into effect on 1 January 2020, the same day as the IMO ‘Global Sulphur Cap’ regulation.

The Panama Canal and UN Environment signed a cooperation agreement today to join efforts on sustainable development and combatting climate change.Signed by the Administrator of the Panama Canal Jorge L. Quijano and the Regional of UN Environment in Latin America and the Caribbean Leo Heileman, the agreement includes the exchange of experiences and knowledge, the development of programs and research in areas of shared interest, and human resources training across both institutions.The…

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) held Tuesday a public hearing on the proposed modifications of its toll structure which culminated the period for receiving inquiries from the industry.The agency of the government of Panama responsible for the operation and management of the Panama Canal recently published a proposal to modify its current tolls structure for the dry bulk, passenger, containership, vehicle carrier and RoRo segments, as well as tankers, chemical tankers, LPG and LNG vessels…

Incat Tasmania’s newest 111-meter ferry has been handed over to her new Spanish operator  Naviera Armas and departed Hobart late last night (16 July) for Spain.The ship, named Volcan de Tagoro (Incat Hull 091) is impressive in her distinctive red Naviera Armas livery. 091 completed sea trials over the past few days, loaded fuel and supplies yesterday for the delivery voyage to Spain, and has now left Australia.The delivery will be via Auckland, across the Pacific Ocean to Tahiti and the Panama Canal before crossing the Atlantic on her way to Spain.

The global container shipping line Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd (Zim) announced a further expansion of its strategic cooperation with the members of the 2M Alliance, Maersk & MSC, to the Asia - US Gulf Trade."The new services, catering for both Central and South China and South Korea, offer significant advantages for customers, including direct connections to major ports in Asia and the US Gulf; best-in-market transit time with reliable dedicated service; Two weekly cutoffs in Houston & Mobile to better serve growing US exports requirements…

Florida's largest port,  Port Tampa Bay has marking a major milestone and partnership with CMA CGM as Port customers, local officials, and business leaders gather to celebrate the inaugural call of the CMA CGM DALILA at The Ports America Terminal.CMA CGM Group, a world leader in shipping and logistics, begin their weekly direct ocean carrier service between Asia and Port Tampa Bay today. CMA CGM's excellent transit times will significantly improve the competitiveness of the region's importers and exporters…