The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has opened the concessionaire selection process for a new natural gas pipeline, hosting an initial market engagement event in Panama City with more than 45 representatives from global energy companies.
The project, part of a planned interoceanic energy corridor, will be the first major development under the canal’s new infrastructure platform. Designed to transport propane, butane, and ethane between the Gulf of Mexico and Northeast Asia, the pipeline is expected to free up canal capacity without additional water usage, helping reduce vessel wait times and strengthen long-term competitiveness.
The proposed 76-kilometer pipeline will have a transfer capacity of up to 2.5 million barrels per day, supported by maritime terminals on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The ACP said the project will meet international standards of safety, environmental protection, and operational excellence.
During this early phase, ACP is seeking feedback from potential concessionaires on the project structure and concession model, with individual meetings scheduled for interested participants.
Companies attending the first market engagement event included ExxonMobil, Shell, Mitsubishi, Sumitomo Corporation, SK Energy, Phillips 66, Vitol, ENEOS, Puma Energy, and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, among others.
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