In light of the COVID-19 vaccine delivery phase, Panama Canal along with Panama Ports Company (PPC) and PSA Panama International Terminal (PSA Panama) joined forces to boost vaccine’s distribution to Latin America.
In fact, under their agreement, partners will establish an alliance of cooperation and explore working together to form a logistic hub on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal for the storage and distribution of the vaccine and supplies for the region.
“By forging this partnership, we aim to affirm Panama’s contributions to overcoming this global challenge.We have served the world throughout this global pandemic and together will facilitate its swift recovery through our combined capabilities as the logistics hub for the region.”
…said Panama Canal Administrator Ricaurte Vásquez Morales.
Following their collaboration, Panama Canal from its side, will look into the development of additional facilities to store and/or break-bulk vaccine cargoes, as well as power sources or redundancies and connection roads to both terminals on the Pacific side.
“We will provide the necessary infrastructure and logistics management capabilities through our port equipment, state-of-the-art technological tools and above all with the experience and leadership in the region of our staff in the management of refrigerated containers, a fundamental piece in the transfer and storage of vaccines.”
…Jared Zerbe, CEO, Panama Ports Company (PPC) noted.
Concluding, PSA Panama and PPC will cooperate with the design and equipment necessary to transport the containers with the vaccine between the terminals and the facilities. The ports will also provide operational expertise to explore their current terminal’s capacities to handle increased refrigerated containers.
