The AMP has taken over the administration of Balboa Shipyard on a temporary basis and is currently working on a figure called “Area Space Concession” and initially only docks 2 and 3 will be in operation. This figure is provisional for 12 months until the international tender for its future concession is ready, said the AMP.
Dock One has the same size as a Panamax vessel (318m X 33.6m) but is not in operation while Dock Two (130m X 25.9m) and Dock Three (70m X 16.8m) will attend smaller ships such as tuna boats or barges.
Balboa Shipyard was built in 1916 by the US Panama Canal Company as an extension of the Panama Canal Company. It is the only facility in Panama and in the entire region that has three dry docks with the necessary dimensions to service panamax ships.
It was transferred to Panama in 1979 and since then, given in concession to private companies. However, because the concessioner Mec Shipyards defaulted in its payments to Panama’s government, the shipyard closed operation two years ago.
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