Port Overview

 Law 12 of 3 January 1996, approved the agreement for the development, construction, operation, administration, and management of a container terminal at the Port of Coco Solo North, Province of Colon.  The port terminal specializes in container handling, general cargo and Ro-Ro shipments. The Terminal is operative through the main routes towards Evergreen which connects North America, Asia and Europe andextended services to South America, South Africa, and Australia.

Port Web Site: http://www.cct-pa.com/

Key port information may also be found at: http://www.maritime-database.com

Port Image

Source: Assessment of Port Security achieved by the Department of Port Security of the Directorate of Ports and Auxiliary Maritime Industries – Confidential

Description and Contacts of Key Companies

For more information on port contacts, please visit the following link: 4.4 Port and Waterways Companies Contact List.

Port Performance

CCT has a total area of 74.33 hectares, with an access channel of 14.0 meters in depth and a maneuver basin with a 600 radius for vessel rotation.  The entrance access of the breakwater is 200 meters.  The waiting time from arrival to anchorage and dock is variable, depending on the operation involved averaging from 20 minutes to an hour. 

The entrance access of the breakwater is 200 meters. The waiting time from arrival to dock and berth is variable, depending on the operation is usually 20 minutes to an hour.

Currently the port is not congested. Due to the geography of the area and the current market conditions, operations are carried normally.

The terminals granted in concession sustain internal protocols and communication with the Panama Maritime Authority, Customs Authority, Maritime Health, National Aeronaval Service, National Immigration Service and other frontline entities involved to adequately respond to any humanitarian contingency.

Source: Results for 2018 and preliminary figures reported to the Statistics Department of the Panama Maritime Authority for 2019.

Berth Specifications

Port Handling Equipment

Port equipment is handled by Colon Container Terminal.

Port Security Inspection achieved by the Department of Port Safety of the Directorate of Ports and Auxiliary Maritime Industries 2019

Container Facilities

The total area of the port facilities is 74.33 hectares, of which 27.8 correspond to the container yard with an estimated capacity for 45,000 TEUs. This includes 1,032 reefer plugs.

Source: Port Safety Inspection achieved by the Department of Port Safety of the Directorate of Ports and Auxiliary Maritime Industries 2019

Customs Guidance

The National Customs Authority is responsible of the supervision, inspection and verification of activities related to the reception, loading/unloading, entry/exit, storage and transit of all cargo that enters the port.  Customs services, depending on the type of operation, can take on average from 45 minutes to two (2) hours.   

Customs Office and Hours

Location:      Offices inside the Colon Container Terminal

Hours:           8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Phones:        430-9649 / 9648

Zona:             North

For more information on Customs, please visit the following link: 1.3 Customs Information.

Terminal Information

Multi-Purpose Terminal

N/A

Grain and Bulk Cargo Handling

N/A

Main Storage Terminal

N/A

Stevedoring

Port operations are managed by Colon Container Terminal, S.A. and has approximately 500 workers.

Hinterland Information

Colon Container Terminal is located in North Coco Solo, province of Colon, at the Atlantic Coast of Panama. It has roadway access by mule trucks towards the Province of Colon and the railway, Colon Free Zone and borders through its surroundings and proximity to Manzanillo International Terminal and Panama Colon Container Port (which is under construction). 

Port Security

CCT holds the Statement of Compliance for Port Facility under provisions of chapter XI-2 of SOLAS Convention and International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (PBIP- ISPS).

Historically, crime groups have had a large presence in the Province of Colon, the number of active members is estimated to be at 5 thousand and growing.  Such groups, along with firearms and drugs, one of the major detonators of violence in the country.  The Panama Maritime Authority sustains regular follow-ups with the terminal’s port security staff and statistics are received concerning security incidents, which have been minimal.

Some planned enhancements are the placing of cameras with optical character reading, digitization in processes, and additional measures at access control points.