A new 20-year concession was formally awarded in July 2012 to the Panamanian consortium MEC Balboa Shipyard that made the best offer. However, MEC Shipyard did not enter the premises until January 2013 and had to invest $4m in equipment and an additional $1.5m, “To modernise the shipyard that was built during the Panama Canal construction and closing on its 100 years we had to buy 3 tower cranes of 18 tonnes capacity and one 30-tonne-RTG to attend our first customers,”MEC Shipyard ceo Marvin Castillo told Seatrade Global. ‘
The shipyard consists of three drydocks, one having the same dimensions as the Panama Canal present locks chamber accommodating panamax vessels. “The panamax dry dock which is 330 m long by 33 m is fully booked until July 2013, while the second drydock of 130 m by 25 m is committed until 18 June, this year,” Castillo said.
The small drydock, generally used for repairs of tug boats and tuna fishing vessels keeps an occupancy of 10% “which gives an overall average booking of 70%, in less than two months of operations,” Castillo added.
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