PANAMA CITY, Panama - (Business Wire) Panama Ports Company (PPC) would like to clarify that there was no strike by the crane operators working at the Ports of Balboa and Cristobal.
On 2 September, Reuters published a story entitled “Panama ports strike ends, canal traffic normal”, in which it said the crane operators and harbor towage workers at Ports of Balboa and Cristobal had gone on strike.
The story has subsequently been partially corrected on 4 September.
Nevertheless, we wish to present the following clarification in case any potential or unnecessary confusion has been created by the Reuters report:
| 1.) | | There was no labor strike at PPC's container terminals. In fact, PPC has excellent relations with its work force. |
| 2.) | | According to the report, the tug boat company official confirmed there was a strike by its tug boat workers. |
| 3.) | | The tug boat workers' strike had no impact on PPC's terminal operations as the Panama Canal provided the tug boat service during the four hours of the strike. |
| 4.) | | Since there was no strike by the crane operators at PPC, there was contrary to the report no backlog in loading and unloading of containers at the PPC container terminals. |
Notes to Editor:
PPC operates the Ports of Balboa and Cristobal located at each end of the Panama Canal, serving as major hubs for the Atlantic and Pacific trade routes. The Ports are equipped with comprehensive facilities for handling containers, general cargo, bulk cargo and passenger vessels.
PPC has started construction work on the Phase IV development of Balboa Mega Port. The expansion project will provide the Port of Balboa with over 2,000 metes of quay length with 16 metres of draught. Also, PPC has commenced the US$200 million Phase I development plan at the Cristobal Container Terminal. The project will provide the Cristobal Container Terminal with over 2,000 metres of quay length with 16 metres of draught. In 2007, PPC handled 2 million TEU, an increase of 59 percent from the previous year.
PPC is a member of the Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) Group, a subsidiary of the multinational conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa Limited (HWL). HPH is the world’s leading port investor, developer and operator with interests in 24 countries throughout Asia, Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas and Australasia. Today, HPH operates a total of 47 ports together with a number of transportation related service companies.
PPC
Alejandro Kouruklis
General Manager
+507-232-6025
mercadeo@ppc.com.pa
