Cargo To Africa

Tag: Panama Canal

  • Third Biggest Sea Cargo Growth at Panama Canal

    Gigantic Figures for the Fiscal Year 2016 and Different Factors for Major Growth

    The 2016 fiscal year is about to close and according to Panama Canal Authority (ACP), it recorded the third-highest annual tonnage in its history. The figures tell that there is cargo shipments of 330.7 million tons transferred through Panama Canal from 13,114 vessels from 1st Oct-15 to 30th Sep, 2016.

    Amongst these 13,114 vessels, the 238 vessels were neopanamax vessels which took advantage of the newly opened expanded canal within three months of its operations having the transfer weight of 18.2 million PC/UMC.

    What Did Panama Canal Administrator Say?

    Jorge L. Quinjao, the administrator said, “Despite the international shipping downturn this past year, we recorded one of the highest annual tonnage figures since the opening of the original canal 102 years ago. The latest success reinforces the continued strategic importance of the route and the growing value that recent investments in the canal will bring to the maritime industry.”

    According to his statement, the Panama Canal Management is happy on this massive cargo growth in Africa and South America which took them on to the third spot of the Annual Cargo Tonnage.

    Main Factor of Growth

    According to the analysis done to monitor the flow from where the traffic came, it showed that the container segment continued to be leading foundation of Panama Canal traffic. After the accountability, it presented that there is a total of 36% growth from this segment which total cargo received.

    At the total figures, 119.6 million container vessels contributed transit through the waterway in which 13.4 million PC/UMS are transferred through the expanded canal.

    LNG Segment

    There is another factor of this mighty growth and that was the introduction of the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) during the ending months of 2016 fiscal years. The figures showed that the LNG contributed the total transit of 1.5 million PC/UMS and surpassed initial Panama Canal forecasts.

    Future Predictions for Panama Canal

    Taking in mind, the cargo gurus are of the view that in the coming 2017 fiscal year, the Panama Canal will continue its way on enhancing the sea cargo transit by advancing the projects such as Corozal Container Terminal, which is currently an ongoing process.

  • Sea Cargo Takes Lead After Panama Canal growth

    The increase in the use of Panama Canal ports has caused air cargo industry to lose a huge market share to sea cargo industry

     

    In Miami, an event under the title “Air and Sea Cargo Americas” was organised recently where Jaime Alvarez Price, senior director cargo at Copa Airlines said that there has been an increase in the number of shipping line services transiting the artery.

    Over recent years, this increase has had a severe effect on the air cargo services as sea cargo has earned a huge share.

    What’s going on with air cargo?

    Price also added that on the marine side, there is more and more activity and since they are into airfreight, they are witnessing more and more airfreight being converted into sea freight services.

    A huge number of ships has started coming into the port more frequently than ever before, like for instance, previously one ship would come to port in a week but now things have changed exceptionally as now there are two or three ships in a week.

    What’s the role of Panama?

    Panama has become the backbone of sea cargo and after the expansion, experts say it is going to make matters worse for the airfreight as the number of shipping containers transiting the Panama Canal will increase once the project has completed. It will then allow larger vessels to pass through without any difficulty.

    What will be the future of air cargo?

    Mathieu Floreani, DHL Global Forwarding chief executive for the Americas has said that Panama’s air cargo industry has a God-given 0pportunity to benefit from as by this year’s industrial action. The haulers had been put off using the US west coast ports and there is also a long term unavailability of the truckers too.

    Floreani also said that he has been into constant contact with many of his customers who used to come into LA, truck across the country to Miami and then fly right into Latin America. But now most of the companies go direct to Panama and then fly the cargo out of Panama.