Press Room

Panama Ports Company, which manages the Balboa and Cristobal terminals, celebrated their 2016 Excellence Awards in the City of Knowledge’s Athenaeum, where a group of employees was honored and recognized for safety, punctuality, leadership, volunteer work, successful cases, and corporate values, among other noteworthy qualities from their daily efforts.

For PPC, this event is a gesture to highlight the work of those who give the best of themselves on a daily basis to turn the company into one of the most renowned in the port industry at the regional level.

The port of Cristobal in the city of Colón (managed by Panama Ports Company) finished a 12-day operation during which it handled the transshipment of 1,263 kilometers of fiber optics, originally used to connect Venezuela with the Canary Islands.

This is the second time the Cristobal terminal has been used for this type of operation because its complexity required significant collaboration between port personnel and national authorities.  The process was carried out in stages using 5 advanced-technology cutting machines, placed alongside the ship in front of each warehouse in order to remove the five rolls consisting of approximately 250 kilometers each.  The fiber was cut into 12-meter segments as it passed through the equipment.

“More and more logistics services are being requested from the ports on a daily basis”, assured Aitor Ibarreche, Panama Ports Company Executive President.  “The global expectation is that the terminals could handle every type of cargo (including the more unusual) and the processing of said cargo for its rapid re-exportation.  We have expanded our logistics-services catalog (from bags of rice to fiber-optic cable) in order to help position Panama as a global hub”.

Once processed, the cabling was placed in containers for shipment to Asia.

The success of this operation was the result of a high degree of labor excellence that PPC has been promoting since its beginnings in the country …which has not only positioned it as the national industry’s number-one company, but also supports, day by day, the goal of turning the Republic of Panama into a truly international logistics center.

The city of Colon celebrates its 164 years of existence this February, consolidating its long history as one of the most important cities in the Republic of Panama.  Colon is the quintessential commercial point of Latin America, serving as a base of operation for various companies at both the regional and international levels. Panama Ports Company is honored to have had the city of Colon among their homes for the past 19 years, as manager of the Cristobal terminal – one of the country’s leading ports.

For PPC, Colon has served as a second home; where both have enjoyed a long- lasting relationship based on mutual support. Over the years, the company has sought to exceed the parameters of common business practices to provide benefits to Colon residents worthy of the appreciation that they, in turn, have shown to the port.

Part of PPC’s philosophy of giving back to the community, has led them to create projects that help communities like Bambu Lane. Among the community outreach projects carried out in this neighborhood were cleaning and garbage collection, painting, repairing the sports field, and the delivery of uniforms. Likewise, people with a conflictive background were provided the opportunity to start with a clean slate and begin a career with the company; a second chance that, without a doubt, was maximized to its fullest. Today, they are role models in their communities.  Who doesn’t appreciate a second chance in life and even more so, an opportunity to build a career in the ports area. They are our heroes of the neighborhood.

PPC has also made concerted efforts to encourage the cohesion of the family unit among its employees. Along these lines, the company initiated a series of activities to create scenarios of healthy recreation for their employees and associates, including sports days, which were well-received by all. Specific courses for spouses of employees were also launched to offer a space for personal growth.

“La Tacita de Oro has received and accepted us for 19 years with much more respect and affection that we could have imagined,” said Aitor Ibarreche, CEO of PPC. “The people of Colon emanate an inexhaustible work ethic and a contagious joy that makes this city a true home for the company. That’s why we wanted to make Colon a second home for our employees.”

In addition to the various activities geared towards family integration, Cristobal recently opened its first chapel, with the intention of providing its employees with a spacious, harmonious, and spiritual place in which to pray.

To Ibarreche, such projects, rather than being considered an expense, are actually viewed as an investment in the valuable human capital that makes PPC what it is… a successful company – in a place that has opened its doors. “We have several plans for the future, including a citywide cleaning program in which those employees who wish to donate their time may contribute to the improvement of this beautiful city,” he said.

For Panama Ports Company, the city of Colon, which celebrates its 164th anniversary, will always be a special place, which is why every day the company will continue to strengthen their commitment to promoting its growth.