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(Super Bowl Party)
(Program Monday)
(Inauguration
& Exposition)
(Program Tuesday)
(Dinner)
(Field Trip)
(Media Coverage)
(Sponsor Recognition)
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Hemispheric
Expo-Conference on Multi-modal
Transportation
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General
Information
Panama
is located at the South Eastern end of
the isthmus forming
the land bridge between North and
South America. “The Eighth Wonder of
the World,“ the Panama Canal, that
joins two important oceans (the
Pacific and the Atlantic) has become a
bridge of worldwide commerce and the
heart of the efficient multi-modal
system of transportation of Panama.
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Key
Facts
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Advantages
offered by Panama
The
advantages Panama offers as a world center
for multi-modal transportation are supported
by the following assets:
-
Panama
Canal which unites the Pacific and
Atlantic Oceans, and is in the process
of expanding in order to fit future
user requirements
-
Development
and modernization of the ports system
-
The
Colon Free Zone and the new
multi-modal logistics center (Cemis)
-
Modernization
of the Trans-isthmian railroad,
joining the ports in the Pacific and
Atlantic
-
International
Airport of Tocumen and its facilities
-
Construction
and connection of the Northern and
Southern Corridors
-
Construction
of the second bridge over the Canal
and access roads complementing the
Bridge of the Americas
-
Development
of Howard and its surrounding areas
-
The
cruise lines selection of Panama as a
tourist destination, taking advantage
of the development of eco and
historical tourism
-
Support
provided to the transportation sector
through its telecommunications
gateway, the Banking Center, the
Insurance and Re-insurance Center,
modern hotels, the merchant marine
system, maritime legal services and
the availability of qualified
personnel.
Considering
that many of these assets have been recently
built, modernized, or in the process of
development, and recognizing the vocation of
Panama as an international business center,
the United States-Panama Business Council
(USPA) will host Centennial Expotrans 2003
in January 2003 as part of the country’s
Centennial celebration.
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Bridges - Bridge of
the Americas
The road and bridge
network which
connects the
inter-modal system
of transportation is
being expanded
and improved with
the second bridge
over the Panama
Canal and access
roads linking with
the North and South
Corridors. The
investment in the
new bridge and
access roads, which
will exceed $250
million, will
connect all of the
components of the
inter-modal system
of transportation
and provide easier
access to the
Western part of the
country.
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Railroad
- Panama Canal
Railway
The
newly refurbished
state-of-the-art
Trans-isthmian
railway connects all
ports on the
Atlantic to the port
of Balboa on the
Pacific side. The
Panama Canal Railway
adds to the
increasing
efficiency of the
multi-modal system
of transportation by
allowing cargo ships
to load their cargo
onto the railway at
the end of the Canal
and collect it at
the other end,
saving time and money. |
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The
Panama Canal
- Widening
of the Canal
At present
the Panama
Canal is
considering
an ambitious
expansion
program that
may incorporate
a new
watershed in
the western
area of the
Canal,
deepening
the ship
channel, and
eventually
building a
third set of
locks to
accommodate
the new
generation
of container
ships. The
total
investment
of this
project may
total close
to $10
billion over
a period of
ten years. |
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Roads
- Northern
and Southern
Corridors
The
Road network
that
connects the
inter-modal
system of
transportation
is being
expanded and
improved
with access
roads, the
extension of
the Northern
Corridor and
the linking
of the Northern
and Southern
Corridors. |
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Ports
Consistent
with its
historic
role when
Panama
hosted the
main ports
in the
Atlantic and
Pacific
connecting
South
America with
North
America and
Europe, the
country has
developed an
impressive
port
infrastructure
for cargo
anchored by
MIT,
Evergreen,
Cristóbal
in the
Atlantic,
and Balboa
in the
Pacific. The
Port of Colón
which hosts
the
terminals of
MIT,
Evergreen,
Cristóbal
and CTT has
become the
#1 container
port in
Latin
America. In
addition,
Colon 2000
in the
Atlantic and
Amador
Resort and
Marina in
the Pacific
are ports
specialized
in cruise passengers
that have
began
operations
recently and
incorporated
the
increasing
cruise
traffic
through the
Canal. |
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Colon
Free Zone
The
Colon Free
Zone
initiated
operations
in 1948. It
has become
the largest
free zone in
the Western
Hemisphere
and is now
second in
the world
only to Hong
Kong.
Originally
created as a
means to
modernize
Panama’s
economic
infrastructure
and to
encourage
regional
trade, the
Free Zone
has since
developed
into a major
world
logistics
center, as
well as
becoming the
generator
of a
significant
portion of
the
country’s
gross
national
product. |
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Air
Transportation
- Howard
Panama
has adopted
an “open
skies”
policy,
anchored by
Tocumen
Airport,
which has
been
instrumental
in the
expansion of
air travel.
In addition,
Copa
Airlines /
Continental
Airlines
joint
venture in
addition to
the
scheduled
flights of
American
Airlines,
Delta
Airlines,
TACA and others
has made
Panama an
air travel
hub with
expanded
connections
to North,
Central and
South
America, and
the
Caribbean.
The
development
of the
“Howard
Hub” in
the Pacific
and the
CEMIS
project in
the Atlantic
Coast, with
initial
investment
of over $2
billion,
will provide
first class
air cargo
facilities
to support
the
industrial
and
commercial
development
of these two
new trade
zones and
also make
the Colon
Free Zone
more
accessible
to air transportation. |
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