The chief executive of the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) said Chinese state companies have shown interest in developing a logistics park on land near the canal, according to Reuters.
ACP chief Jorge Quijano said China Communications Construction Corporation, China Harbour Engineering Company and China Railway Group have all indicated curiosity about the project on a 1,200-hectare site.
China is in the midst of a global strategy of investing in infrastructure, a so-called “One Belt, One Road” initiative.
Quijano acknowledged there is the potential for Chinese investors to be more than just developers – they would also be welcome to be concessionaires on the projects.
Another project in the offing is a Ro-Ro terminal near the Canal, which will be put out for tender in a few months, and which Quijano expects will also attract bidders from China.
Last June the Panama Canal inaugurated its new locks, completing a huge expansion project that has allowed much bigger container ships to traverse the inter-oceanic waterway.
