News Release

14th November 2000

Official Opening of Balboa Container Terminal


14-Nov-2000

[Panama – 14th November 2000] Panama Ports Company, S.A. (PPC) announces the official inauguration of its world class Container Terminal at the Port of Balboa.

PPC has invested US$ 120 million in the new container handling facilities at the Balboa Container Terminal. Located on the Pacific side of the Republic of Panama, Balboa is one of the most strategic locations in Latin America providing transhipment services for the world’s major carriers operating on trans Pacific routes.

Balboa Container Terminal provides 350 metres of quay, 12.9 metres of draft, 8.4 hectares of container yard equipped with 3 super post Panamax quay cranes, 9 Rubber Tyred Gantry Cranes and 468 reefer plugs, for an annual handling capacity of 600,000 TEUs.

“It is our vision that the Port of Balboa will quickly become one of the major transhipment hubs for the world’s container shipping lines. There is enormous potential for cargo movement to and from the West and East Coasts of the United States of America, the Caribbean and South America,” pointed out Mr. John E. Meredith, Group Managing Director of Hutchison Port Holdings and President of PPC.

Commenting on the new services Mr. Alejandro Kouruklis General Manager of PPC said, “Our goal is to provide world class service to all major carriers to further enhance their options to transport cargo to and from Asia and the Americas.”