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BOYD |
STEAMSHIP CORPORATION
AGENTS AT THE PANAMA CANAL FOUNDED IN 1909 |
Web: www.boydsteamship.com Email: operations@boydsteamship.com
PANAMA CANAL NEWS
May 2nd, 2007
LOCKS
LANE OUTAGE AND PANAMA CANAL AUTHORITY TRANSIT RESERVATION SYSTEM
Beginning Thursday, May 3, 2007,
at 1800 hours through Saturday, May 5, 2007, at 0600 hours (36 hours), the WEST
lane of Gatun Locks will be out of service. Relay operations will be conducted
in the EAST lane. Closing the West lane of Gatun Locks is necessary in order to
perform repairs on the seals of Miter Gate 15.
As a result of this work and
pursuant to the rules governing the Transit Reservation System (MR’s Notice to
Shipping No. N-7-2007), a reduction in the number of available booking slots
will be in effect during this period, as follows:
• From 0001 hours through 2359 hours on May 3, 2007,
Condition 1.a will be in effect;
• From 0001 hours through 2359 hours on May 4, 2007,
Condition 2 will be in effect;
• From 0001 hours through 2359 hours on May 5, 2007,
Condition 1.a will be in effect.
The number of slots per
direction and restriction during Condition 1.a will be limited as follows:
• No more than eight (8) supers may be booked for transit
in the southbound direction, and of these, no more than six (6) with “full daylight-hour”
restriction. Similarly, no more than seven (7) supers may be booked for transit
in the northbound direction, and of these, no more than five (5) with “full
daylight-hour” restriction.
• The total number of “full daylight-hour” restricted supers
shall not exceed eight (8) vessels per day.
• No more than four (4) regular vessels may be booked for
transit in the same direction.
• Of the six slots available for regular vessels, no more
than two (2) may be allocated to regular vessels transiting under restrictions.
Applications for reserved
transits under these conditions will be received commencing 0900 hours April
30, 2007. The booking slot available through the Auction Process will continue
to be offered during this period.
PANAMA CANAL TUGS GO Z-TECH: ACP INTRODUCES MOST POWERFUL TUGS IN ITS HISTORY
With
the introduction of three new "Z-Tech" tugboats, the Panama Canal
Authority (ACP) introduces the most powerful tugs in its history. The new tugs
will replace aging boats in the Canal's current fleet, featuring cutting-edge
technology that should lower lockage times by providing greater maneuverability
and 82 percent more towing power than the existing tugs.
The
"Z-Tech" tugs, as they are called, will assist vessels in the process
of going in and out of the existing locks and are equipped to handle first
responder duties in emergency marine fire-fighting situations.
"We
are very excited to incorporate these new high-performance tugboats into our
fleet," said ACP Director of Operations Manuel E. Benítez. "The
increase in power and maneuverability will particularly be a great asset in
reducing the current time used to approach the locks. By utilizing the new
"Z-Tech" tugs, we are demonstrating our commitment to continue
investing in state-of-the-art technology that provides the reliable, efficient,
and safe transit services our customers have come to expect."
The
new "Z-Tech" tugs, Darien, Veraguas I and Bocas del Toro, represent
the first three of eight tugs that will replace older boats within the Canal's
current fleet of 24 units. The remaining five tugs are scheduled to arrive
between November 2007 and February 2008.
Built
using the award-winning "Z-Tech" design from Robert Allan, Ltd. and
PSA Marine, these tugs combine both the handling of a tractor-style tug and an
Azimuth Stern Drive tug. Each "Z-Tech" tug measures 27.4 meters in
length overall and 11.65 meters in beam, with a bollard pull of 61 tons.
Additionally, the engines of the new tugboats have the capacity to accelerate
from standstill to full ahead in less than 20 seconds, without heavy smoking.
DANI KUZNIECKY OFFICIALLY INAUGURATED AS HEAD
OF PANAMA CANAL AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Former Comptroller General Dani Ariel
Kuzniecky Barsky officially assumed his new position as chairman of the Panama
Canal Authority (ACP) Board of Directors at an inaugural ceremony conducted at
the presidential palace last Monday.
At the inauguration, Mr. Kuzniecky, who
will concurrently hold the rank of Minister for Canal Affairs, stated that
"one of my commitments will be to preserve the pride and international
prestige that Panama has gained as a result of the ACP's management of the
waterway."
Panamanian President Martín Torrijos
Espino had previously expressed that Mr. Kuzniecky's appointment is significant
since "the Canal expansion is the most important project for this
government and the country."
Among the first duties in his new role,
Mr. Kuzniecky headed an ACP commission to present the second quarterly
expansion report to the National Assembly of Panama.
He also presided over the ACP Board of
Directors meeting, where the proposal to restructure the Panama Canal's pricing
system for the next three years was approved. Following the decision made by
the Board, Mr. Kuzniecky submitted the proposal to the Cabinet Council of the
Republic of Panama, which later provided final approval on the proposal
Wednesday afternoon.
A partner at Kuzniecky & Levy Co.,
Mr. Kuzniecky received his M.S. in comparative jurisprudence from New York
University. He conducted post-graduate work at Harvard Law School and earned a
degree in law and political science from the Universidad Santa Maria La Antigua
- Panama.
During his service to the government,
the National Assembly of Panama appointed Mr. Kuzniecky as Comptroller General
of Panama, a position he held from January 2005 until April 2007. In this role,
he presided over the Central American and Caribbean Superior Comptroller
Entities (OCCEFS) and acted as Executive Secretary of the Latin American and
Caribbean Superior Comptroller Entities (OLACEFS).
Moreover, he is a member of various
professional organizations including the International Association of
Attorneys, International Association of Hebrew Attorneys and Jurors and the
National College of Attorneys. In 2006 he received the "Complete Attorney
of the Year" Award by the Universidad Santa María la Antigua.
Mr. Kuzniecky sits on the Nutrehogar
Board of Directors and has served as professor of philosophy and law at the
Universidad Santa María La Antigua.
A published author of children's books,
he is married and the father of three children.
ACP BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVE CANAL TOLL
INCREASE EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2007
Implementation Of New Pricing For Certain Segments Moved
From May 2007 To July 2007, In Response To Industry Requests; New Tolls Move The Canal’s Price Closer To
The Value Of Service Provided
Following a recommendation from
the Board of Directors of the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), the Cabinet Council
of the Republic of Panama yesterday approved the proposal to restructure the
Panama Canal’s pricing system and certain regulations.
On February 2, 2007, the ACP
announced its desire to move toward a charge that moves closer to the
commercial value of the service and route. After a more than 30-day public
consultation period, in which a total of 21 written submissions were received,
the ACP conducted a hearing on March 14 where a total of 14 representatives
from shipping and government expressed their views.
On April 5, in response to industry
requests, the proposal was slightly modified: implementation of the new
charges, for certain segments, was postponed from May 2007 to July 1, 2007.
These segments include: general cargo, dry bulk, tankers and vehicle carriers.
Due to this modification, the issue was reopened for public comment for a
15-day period. A total of 10 written submissions, in both English and Spanish,
were received by the ACP from various individuals and groups.
Refrigerated cargo and passenger
vessels will maintain the implementation date of October 1, 2007. Additionally,
container ships will maintain the implementation date of May 1, 2008. The toll
of $54 per TEU for container ships and other vessels with on-deck container
carrying capacity, approved in 2005, remains on schedule to become effective
May 1, 2007.
“With the new pricing system,
the Canal is charging its customers a price closer to the value of services
provided. We reached this decision through an open and transparent process,
providing the industry with multiple opportunities to comment. The new system,
approved yesterday by the Cabinet Council, reflects this open dialogue,
incorporating several of the requests we received from the industry over the
past few months,” said ACP Administrator/CEO Alberto Alemán Zubieta.
As the world becomes more
interconnected – barriers dropping, tariffs reduced – the value of the Panama
Canal and its role in the global supply chain continues to grow. Shippers
moving goods from the U.S. Gulf Coast to Asia can save up to 10 voyage days via
the Panama Canal, and vessels traveling from the West Coast of South America to
the U.S. East Coast shave an estimated eight to 16 voyage days compared to
alternative routes. Given the cost increases in shipbuilding, fuel and vessel
operations, the route through the Panama Canal has significantly increased its
value to its users.
Details on the new pricing
system can be accessed, in English and Spanish, at www.pancanal.com.
Significant elements include:
Maximum Displacement Draft vs.
Arrival Draft: Vessels will be charged based on their displacement to simplify
and streamline the process. This charge will now be based on the maximum
displacement draft instead of the arrival displacement to assess tolls
according to the specified tonnage rate.
Administrative Changes: Some
administrative changes have been made, but these changes will have no economic
impact whatsoever. These revisions provide necessary linguistic and grammatical
clarifications to the document or reinsert missing words to processes and
procedures.
Passenger Vessels: Regarding
passenger vessels, an assessment of tolls will be based on maximum passenger
capacity. In general, under this change, large vessels will be charged tolls on
a per berth basis, and smaller ships will continue under the Canal tonnage
tolls system. These changes are largely due to suggestions from industry
representatives – another example of the ACP listening to the industry.
Tolls: The adjustment and
implementation dates of the new toll rates will depend on the vessel
type/segment, e.g. container vessels, passenger vessels, general cargo,
refrigerated cargo, dry bulk, tankers and vehicle carriers. On average, there
will be a 10 percent increase per year over the next three years. Yesterday’s
announcement marks the first toll increase in the last four years. In 2005, the
ACP adjusted tolls for container ships and other vessels with on-deck container
carrying capacity.
