Panama Canal Sets Back-to-Back-to-Back Tonnage Records


News from Panama

The Panama Canal set yet another daily tonnage record in February 2017 with a total of 1,180 vessel transits totaling 1.18 million Panama Canal tons (PC/UMS). The previous record was established the month prior in January 2017 when the Canal recorded a daily tonnage average of 1.16 PC/UMS. The daily tonnage average accounts for vessels […]

March 14, 2017

Nobody Wants to Build the Port in Corozal


News from Panama

None of the pre-qualified companies submitted bids in the tender for the concession of the design, construction and operation of a container port in West Corozal, Panama. From the Panama Canal Authority: The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) reports that Friday was the deadline set out in the request for proposals for the submission of bids […]

March 8, 2017

Money Laundering in Central America


News from Panama

The housing market, casinos, concert halls, and the livestock sector are all used to launder money in Central American countries. Excerpted from the report “International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, Volume II, Money Laundering and Financial Crimes” by the  US State Department: Costa Rica Transnational criminal organizations continue to favor Costa Rica as a base to […]

March 8, 2017

$400 million investment in Thermoelectric Plant


News from Panama

In Panama the Chinese consortium Martano has submitted an environmental impact study to build a 423 MW combined cycle power plant in the village of Puerto Pilon, province of Colon. Data from the Information System on Construction Projects in Central Area Commercial provided by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData, shows that on December 1, […]

March 8, 2017

Call Center Business Loses Strength in Panama


News from Panama

  Staff shortages affect call centers in Panama TODAY PANAMA – The number of jobs in call center companies fell by 37% between 2012 and 2016, due to the difficulty in finding skilled labor for this activity. Limited supply of staff with the skills needed to work in a call center and higher wage demands […]

March 8, 2017

Lax Oversight of Swiss Lawyers Blamed in EU’s Panama Probe


News from Panama

Joe Kirwin at Bloomberg writes of loopholes that exist that lawyers took advantage of.   Switzerland’s lack of regulatory oversight for lawyers, as well as loopholes that allow them to ignore due-diligence rules, came under intense scrutiny at a European Parliament hearing probing Switzerland’s role in the year-old Panama Papers revelations. At the same time, […]

March 8, 2017

Panama doesn’t take advantage of its trade agreement with the EU


News from Panama

The non-implementation of policies, programs, and projects that help transform the country’s production, trade and projection abroad, affected the economy and contributed to a slow-down. According to the National Competitiveness Center (NCC), it is necessary to meet these challenges at a time when the Brexit and the recent presidential campaign promises in the US threaten […]

March 8, 2017

Tender: Roadworks for $37 million


News from Panama

More road improvements in Panama is always good news, a little painful but worth it in the end. The Ministry of Public Works in Panama is inviting bids for the renovation of 61 kilometers of roads in the province of Cocle. “Project aims: -Renovate, repair and improve the road network in the region, to provide […]

March 8, 2017