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According to Autoridad Marítima de Panamá
(Maritime Authority of Panamá), a firm plan is afoot for the construction of a
new, modern cruise terminal near the Pacific entrance to the canal.
The $30 million “multifunctional” project will be located in a small archipelago
connected by Calzada de Amador (Amador Causeway), just south of Panamá City. It
will include a substantial commercial development and support facilities.
 According
to Jorge Barakat, the administrator of the Maritime Authority, the chosen
location has a water depth of between 7 and 12 metres, with a magnificent view
of the city and the coastal strip.
The site has an area of about 30 hectares, with 11.5 hectares designated as
commercial spaces. The planned construction period will last between 12 to 18
months. The government is in the process of initiating the tender process.
Currently there is a conspicuous lack of cruise port facilities in and around
the capital city. The logistics for cruise ships arriving at Amador is
complicated, involving transferring passengers by small boats.
The aim of this project is to transform Panamá City into a homeport similar to
the one in Colón at the other end of the canal.
The
Calzada de Amador is a road connecting Panamá City with four Pacific
islands, which form a small archipelago. It was built in 1913 by the U.S.
government with rocks excavated during construction of the canal.
The site was originally part of a U.S. military complex, known as Fort Amador,
established to protect the entrance to the canal. The area is now a thriving
tourist attraction. Upon completion, Panamá will have two major homeports, one
on each end of the newly enlarged Canal. |
