El MEF prevé que la economía de Panamá crecerá 5.8% en 2017
-20 de Febrero de 2017
Fuente: Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas
Cumpliendo la misión legal de proyectar la evolución del Producto Interno Bruto (PIB) de Panamá, el Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas (MEF) informó que la estimación de crecimiento de la economía del país para este año es de 5.8%, impulsada por el dinamismo de los sectores de la construcción, explotación de minas y canteras, intermediación financiera y suministro de electricidad, gas y agua.
Raúl Moreira, director de Análisis Económico y Social del MEF, explicó hoy en conferencia de prensa, que la estimación del PIB del MEF coincide con la previsión del Fondo Monetario Internacional que lo sitúa en 5.8%. La Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL) proyecta el crecimiento en 5.9% y el Banco Mundial en 5.4%.
Panama's President Juan Carlos Varela Signs Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters into Law
- February 22nd, 2017
Source: PRNewswire
President of Panama Juan Carlos Varela signed into law today the implementation of the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters (MAC), which allows for sharing tax information multilaterally on request with the 107 jurisdictions that are part of the convention and provides a common legal basis for cooperation on tax matters. In implementing the MAC, Panama officially joins all countries from the G20, BRIICS, OECD, and other major financial centers, as well as an increasing number of developing countries as members to the convention.
"The signature of the MAC into law today is one more step to modernizing and transforming Panama's financial and services platform, as it establishes the framework for the implementation of international transparency and cooperation initiatives," said Luis Miguel Hincapie, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, who added, "Starting today, the 107 tax jurisdiction cosignatories to the MAC can request information from Panama without having to negotiate a bilateral treaty."
Feature: Panama Canal's green ambitions could be big boost for LNG
-February 22nd, 2017
Source: S&P Global Platts
The Panama Canal's drive to go greener may see LNG bunkering emerge as the biggest winner.
Since January 1, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has been running its Environmental Premium Ranking initiative, where ships that reach certain environmental or energy efficiency standards receive extra percentage points per transit, which can improve their position in the waterway's Customer Ranking System.
The program encompasses both the Environmental Premium Ranking and the Green Connection Award, which was launched in July to recognize canal customers that comply with the highest environmental performance standards set by the International Maritime Organization, according to the ACP.
Panama Canal Expansion Boots US East Coast Port Volumes
- February 28th, 2017
Source: Maritime Logistics Professional
Effects of the canal’s expansion are reverberating well-beyond Panama’s shores, as ports around the world are in varying stages of work to deepen and widen their channels to accommodate the growing number of Neopanamax vessels that can now transit the canal.
Now nearly one year on from the first vessel transit through the expanded waterway, many ports are benefitting, particularly those along the U.S. East Coast.
As it was for the canal, January 2017 was also a record month for many U.S. East Coast ports, including the Ports of Charleston, Philadelphia and Savannah, which recorded 28 percent, 34 percent and 16 percent container volume growths, respectively. For the Port of Charleston, its monthly cargo record follows an annual cargo record set in 2016, after handling 2 million TEUS.
Port Authorities of Georgia and Virginia Propose Collaboration
-February 28th, March 1st, 2017
Fuente: Progressive Railroading
The Georgia Ports Authority and the Virginia Port Authority filed on Friday, February 24, 2017, with the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to create the East Coast Gateway Terminal Agreement.
The agreement encourages voluntary cooperation in the areas of operational and supply chain efficiencies, safety, communications and customer service. The agreement will enable the member ports to work together to find ways to become more efficient and effective, which will benefit the citizens of their respective states, as well as shippers and the carriers.