Ships Without Sailors? It Can’t Happen Soon Enough -Opinion


News from Panama

Manned operation of Yara’s zero-emission, soon-to-be-autonomous containership is planned to start manned operations in the latter half of 2018 before moving to full-autonomous operations in 2020. Image credit: Yara Birkeland Here is Adaq Minter writing in Bloomberg. It sounds like a ghost story: A huge cargo vessel sails up and down the Norwegian coast, silently going […]

May 23, 2017

New Tender for Technology Platform


News from Panama

After declaring the first tender process void, the Panamanian government is calling for a new tender for maintenance of the SUME 911 technology platform. After declaring void, on January 17 of this year, the tender for the “renewal and maintenance service of the technological platform for the unique 9-1-1 emergency management system for a period of 60 months” a new […]

May 23, 2017

Panama: Dogs and Cats Business


News from Panama

More pets in Panamanian households translate into growth and diversification of the market for products and services for those members of the family. An article on Panamaamerica.com.pa reports that “… Having a pet as a member of the family is a growing trend in Panamanian homes, which has strengthened and diversified trade for companies that are dedicated to this […]

May 23, 2017

Coffee in Costa Rica: Rust Threat Alert


News from Panama

A warning has been given that changes in the climatic conditions during the next two months will encourage an increase of the presence of the fungus in all coffee locations in the country. From a statement issued by the Coffee Institute: According to experts from the Costa Rican Coffee Institute, ICAFE, the current variations in […]

May 23, 2017

License Extended for 325 MW Thermal Plant


News from Panama

Due to a delay in the approval of the environmental impact study, the Panamanian government has extended the term of the provisional license granted to Martano Inc. to build a thermoelectric plant in Isla Margarita, Colón. Martano Inc. presented the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in December 2016 for the construction of a 423 MW combined cycle thermoelectric plant in the Puerto Pilón […]

May 23, 2017

Imported Milk Gains Market Share in Panama


News from Panama

Nestlé’s announcement that it will stop buying C-grade milk from producers from Veraguas reflects the growing loss of market share for local milk to imported products. Growth in imports of milk and its substitutes continues to take away market share from Panamanian milk producers. In the case of Nestlé Panama, the company reported that “imports of milk substitutes by […]

May 23, 2017

How to Attract More Tourists to Panama


News from Panama

Private companies and the municipality of Panama City are developing a plan to offer tourist activities in the capital to passengers who are in transit through Tocumen airport While tourism and hotel operators are still looking for alternatives to improve the sector’s sluggish figures, the municipality of Panama intends to develop a plan that encourages passengers who are waiting for […]

May 23, 2017