Panama has announced the development of a "dry canal" to facilitate cargo movement between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, in response to diminished water levels in its traditional maritime canal. The initiative, termed the Multimodal Dry Canal project, intends to leverage existing infrastructure, including roads, railways, ports, airports, and duty-free zones, within a newly established "special customs jurisdiction."
This approach, highlighted by Rodolfo Samuda, logistics director at the Ministry of the Presidency, requires no additional investment. A decree to streamline land cargo transport procedures across the isthmus has been implemented by President Laurentino Cortizo. The project, as Guillermo Salazar, director of the state development planning institute, articulated, aims to serve as an adjunct to the Panama Canal and address the challenges its users currently face.
The canal's capacity has been reduced from 39 to 27 ships daily, primarily due to climate-induced drought and the El Niño phenomenon, affecting its reliance on freshwater from tropical rains. This situation has occasionally resulted in over 100 ships waiting to traverse the 80-kilometer canal, leading to significant delays and increased costs for maritime operators. Concurrently, neighboring countries, including Mexico and Honduras, have proposed alternative transit solutions, reflecting a broader regional interest in capitalizing on the economic potential of inter-oceanic transportation.
Source: phys.org
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