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Inter-American Committee on Ports of the OAS Begins Meeting with a Call for the Region to Take Advantage of the Opportunities Opened by Panama Canal Expansion

The Inter-American Committee on Ports (CIP) of the Organization of American States (OAS) opened today at the headquarters of the hemispheric institution in Washington, DC its ninth regular meeting of three days with a call to the countries of the region to take advantage of the commercial opportunities offered by the Panama Canal expansion.

The Executive Secretary for Integral Development of the OAS, Sherry Tross, recalled that more than 80 percent of world trade is transported by sea, and noted that the redevelopment of the Panama Canal will increase traffic and maritime trade worldwide. "This increased capacity not only implies savings for world trade, but has the potential to increase trade between Latin America and the world," she said.

“The impending expansion of the Panama Canal presents both challenges and opportunities for the entire region. This expansion has the potential to stimulate trade in the region and, as we know, has already spurred infrastructure development designed to increase port capacity for large vessels post-Panama”, added Executive Secretary Tross.

The head of the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development of the OAS also referred to concerns about the environmental impact that will create the increase in maritime trade and port areas. "This has had the effect of spurring more cross-sector dialogue and collaboration among policy makers and the public and private sectors on issues ranging from environmental management to the port-city relationships, intermodal investments and traffic flows," she said.

The OAS official also said the increase in maritime traffic required to OAS member states to modernize their laws, guidelines and regulations for the implementation and enforcement of international safety standards, as well as the improvement of physical infrastructure and appropriate human resources training. "Really, much of this amounts to a shift in which port activities are fundamentally integrated into economic and social development," she added.

At another point in her speech, Executive Secretary Tross underscored the increased role of women in the areas related to regional maritime activity. In this regard, she noted that the Peruvian Jacqueline Santolalla Huerto, from the Port Authority of Peru, is the current Chair of the Executive Committee of the CIP. “Her presence here today is proof of the increased opportunities for women in the ports work force,” said Tross. Moreover, she recalled that the CIP has a Technical Advisory Group on Corporate Social Responsibility and Women in Ports, currently chaired by Panama.

During the meeting, the member states of the OAS will discuss the prospects for strengthening regional port dialogue in order to promote competitiveness in the sector with the imminent enlargement of the Panama Canal. To this end, members of the CIP will work divided into six areas: Logistics; Innovation and Competitiveness; Port Management and Sustainable Environmental Protection; Port Security and Safety; Public Policies, Legislation and Regulation; Tourism, Interior Ports and Waterways; Services to Ships and Navigation Control; and Corporate Social Responsibility and Women in Ports.

The meeting will also elect new officers for the 2014-2016 period, and will also recognize institutions of different countries of the Americas that were selected as winners of the Americas Maritime Prize in recognition of quality, excellence, innovation and sustainability of the practices presented in the maritime and port sectors, as well as their willingness to share their experiences with members of the CIP. Furthermore, in the framework of the IX meeting of the CIP, the Inter-American Forum on Successful Experiences in Port Development will be held.

A gallery of photos of the event will available here.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.

Reference: E-263/14