During his official visit to Japan, President José Raúl Mulino, together with the Minister for Canal Affairs, Jose Ramón Icaza, and the Administrator of the Panama Canal, Ricaurte Vásquez Morales, announced the start of the process to develop a gas pipeline that will be part of the new energy corridor of the interoceanic route.
According to the announcement, the gas pipeline will be the first major project within this infrastructure platform aimed at strengthening the country’s competitiveness and addressing a strategic need in the global energy market.
The Board of Directors of the Panama Canal Authority has already authorized the start of the concessionaire selection process, which will be formally launched in Panama.
The procedure will include three stages: prequalification of interested parties, interaction and dialogue with the prequalified companies, and final selection of the concessionaire. The prequalification phase will begin this year, while the final stage of selection is expected to conclude in the fourth quarter of 2026. Authorities stated that the process will be transparent and competitive, with expected participation from international companies.
President Mulino described the gas pipeline as one of the largest investments in the history of the Canal. He noted projected annual average employment generation of more than 6,500 jobs during construction and around 9,600 during operations.
Expected annual average revenues for the State are approximately B/.160 million during construction and more than B/.1.5 billion once in operation. The projected annual average added value to the national economy is about B/.590 million in construction and an estimated B/.2.7 billion during operations.
The gas pipeline is part of the Panama Canal Authority’s revenue diversification strategy, which seeks to expand service offerings, increase cargo movement capacity without requiring additional water, and consolidate Panama as a strategic point for global trade. This strategy also foresees the development of an intermodal logistics hub, with container transshipment terminals, storage areas, and a road linking the Centenario Bridge to the Atlantic Bridge on the Canal’s west bank.
The first projects in this hub are the construction of container transshipment ports in Corozal and Telfers, both on the Canal’s east bank.
“The gas pipeline that we announce today is a strategic bet for Panama to remain a key country in the global economy, generating development for Panamanians and ensuring the sustainability and competitiveness of the Panama Canal,” said President José Raúl Mulino in Tokyo.
Panama Canal Authority (Autoridad del Canal de Panamá) is an autonomous legal entity of the Republic of Panama, responsible for the operation, administration, management, preservation, maintenance, and modernization of the Panama Canal, as established by the Panamanian Constitution and Law No. 19 of 1997.
Panama Canal (Canal de Panamá) is an interoceanic waterway under the jurisdiction of the Republic of Panama, opened in 1914, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is a strategic asset managed by the Panama Canal Authority.