BOYD

STEAMSHIP CORPORATION

AGENTS AT THE PANAMA CANAL

FOUNDED IN 1909

 

Web: www.boydsteamship.com Email: operations@boydsteamship.com

 

PANAMA CANAL NEWS

 

October  31st, 2007

 

LOCKS LANE OUTAGE AND PANAMA CANAL AUTHORITY TRANSIT RESERVATION SYSTEM

From October 23 and 25, 2007, the west lane of Gatun Locks will be out of service in order to install the south turntable and perform upper jaws boring on Miter Gate 16.

 

PANAMA CANAL EXECUTIVES DISCUSS EXPANSION BENEFITS AT ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT CONFERENCE

The Panama Canal Authority participated in The Business Roundtable organized by Economist Conferences.  Attendees included senior government and global business leaders from different industries.

 

 

 

 

LOCKS LANE OUTAGE AND PANAMA CANAL AUTHORITY TRANSIT RESERVATION SYSTEM

 

Beginning Tuesday, October 23, 2007, at 1600 hours through Thursday, October 25, 2007, at 1800 hours (2 days), the WEST lane of Gatun Locks will be out of service. Relay operations will be conducted on the EAST lane. Closing the West lane of Gatun Locks is necessary in order to install the south turntable and perform upper jaws boring on Miter Gate 16.

 

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 October 23, 2007, Condition 1.a will be in effect;

             

            • From 0001 hours on October 24, 2007, through 2359 hours on October 25, 2007, Condition 2 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 October 20, 2007. The booking slot available through the Auction Process will continue to be offered during this period

 

 

PANAMA CANAL EXECUTIVES DISCUSS EXPANSION BENEFITS AT ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT CONFERENCE

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP), along with the Government of Panama, participated in The Business Roundtable October 24, organized by Economist Conferences, a division of the Economist Intelligence Unit in Panama. Conference attendees included senior government and global business leaders from the maritime, financial, technology and construction industry.

 

The Government Roundtable was inaugurated Tuesday, October 23 by Panama's President Martín Torrijos and continued today with the opening session Reaping the Benefits of the Panama Canal Expansion. During the forum, Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Samuel Lewis Navarro, ACP Board of Directors Chairman and Minister of Canal Affairs Dani Kuzniecky, ACP Administrator/CEO Alberto Alemán Zubieta and Coyne et Bellier's Executive Vice President for Strategy and Development, Jean Binquet discussed the importance of the Canal's expansion as one of the main projects for the country's economic development.

 

Panama is leveraging its two primary assets, its natural geographic position and the Panama Canal, to create an aggressive development strategy. Key to Panama's strategic location is the waterway, whose expansion, is promoting development in sectors such as tourism, logistics, construction, and insurance. 

 

The expansion will build a new lane of traffic along the Panama Canal through the construction of a third set of locks, which will double capacity and allow more traffic, longer and wider ships.