Plans are already underway for a controversial project, Puerto Barú, a private, multipurpose port development in one of Central America’s largest and healthiest mangrove areas, 19 kilometers from the city of David on Panama’s Pacific coast. This area is home to 25% of all mangroves in Panama.

In September 2024, a group of organizations of conservation professionals, scientists, lawyers, and biologists, filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court of Justice to declare null and void the Resolution that approved the developer’s Environmental Impact Study.

The group is not against development and wants a port to be built in the province of Chiriqui. For this reason, he calls for consideration of other suitable locations for the port, where protected mangroves and marine life are not affected.

In the search for a new location, and to ensure that the Chiriqui region benefits from development, Puerto Armuelles has been identified as ideal for a port, in terms of economic growth and environmental protection.

A new report by the international company Lynker, a leading engineering firm in environmental modeling, has concluded that building a port in Puerto Armuelles is not only possible, but could even reach a larger scale than the proposed project in Puerto Barú, in David.

Why is Puerto Armuelles the ideal place for a port?

Puerto Armuelles stands out as an ideal location for a port for several reasons:

1. Deepwater Access: The natural deepwater access provided by Puerto Armuelles would significantly reduce or even eliminate the need for dredging, both capital and maintenance-costly, that would be necessary for the development of the port in David. The much-needed dredging of the Puerto Baru shipping channel in David is likely to carry both higher costs and environmental risks, including sediment dispersion and potential habitat disruption of the nearby David mangroves.
2. Environmental considerations: If the port were to be built in Puerto Armuelles instead of David, the great risk to sensitive ecological habitats and protected areas would be minimal. Avoiding the environmental impacts – associated with dredging and operations in protected mangroves – would be in line with the sustainable development goals of both the developer and Panama.
3. Logistical advantages: Puerto Armuelles offers viable routes to the Pan-American Highway, ensuring efficient cargo transportation. In addition, Puerto Armuelles has space for future expansions, which would allow the development of additional facilities and infrastructures to accommodate growing commercial volumes and larger vessels.

What are the environmental repercussions of the port relocation?

Moving port development from Puerto Barú to Puerto Armuelles or another viable location will ensure that precious mangroves, marine life, and other species are not affected.
The development of Puerto Barú would require the dredging of a navigation channel, which may lead to environmental risks, such as sediment dispersion and possible alteration of the habitat of the nearby David mangrove forest. These mangroves are critical to biodiversity, as they are home to species such as the critically endangered Pacific short-tailed shark and hawksbill turtle. Puerto Armuelles naturally meets the depth requirements necessary for a port. This means that the need for dredging is minimised, thereby protecting these sensitive ecosystems and aligning the project with the Sustainable Development Goals.

What are the economic repercussions of the development of a port in Puerto Armuelles?

In terms of future development and growth, Armuelles offers the possibility of further port expansion, including the ability to accommodate larger vessels than would be possible at Puerto Barú in David. Puerto Armuelles also has suitable location conditions to support the development of a multipurpose port.

Even after the much-needed dredging of the Puerto Baru shipping channel in David, it is unlikely to be navigable for larger cargo ships, given the narrowness of the estuary channel and the protected status of mangroves in Panama. In addition, the frequency of ship traffic should be controlled due to the high risk of collision between ships and species.

Due to the navigation channel of Puerto Barú in David, the size of the boats that will use the port must also be taken into account. Puerto Armuelles has capacity for boats of about 350 meters in length, much larger than the 192-meter boats proposed for Puerto Barú.

In addition, the location and infrastructure surrounding Puerto Armuelles could attract investment, boost trade, and improve the region’s logistics capabilities. The influx of businesses and tourists would stimulate the local economy, increase property values, and create a ripple effect of economic benefits throughout the province of Chiriqui.

Instead, Puerto Barú is situated in the middle of a series of canals and lagoons covered in mangroves, which restricts the space for expansion. The need for extensive dredging and the protected nature of the surrounding mangroves make it difficult to accommodate larger ships or increase port capacity. Even after dredging, Puerto Barú is unlikely to be navigable for larger cargo ships, given the narrowness of the estuary channel and the protected status of mangroves in Panama. This lack of room for expansion appears to limit Puerto Barú’s potential to support long-term economic growth and development.

How accessible is Puerto Armuelles?

The road accessibility of any port is crucial for logistics. Puerto Armuelles offers access roads to the Pan-American Highway for the transport of goods.

Conclusion

Lynker’s report concludes that Puerto Armuelles is a viable alternative to Puerto Barú for port development in Panama and could even have better economic repercussions for the Chiriqui region. Its natural deep-water access, logistical advantages and low environmental risks make it a strategic choice for sustainable port development.

The report’s findings highlight that Puerto Armuelles not only meets operational requirements, but can also offer significant advantages over Puerto Barú. Natural deep-water access reduces the need for costly dredging and minimizes environmental impact. The strategic location and existing infrastructure provide efficient freight transport routes, while the abundant space for future expansions ensures that the port can expand along with the growing economic demands.

In addition, the economic benefits of the development of Puerto Armuelles are substantial. The development of the port will create numerous employment opportunities, attract investment and boost trade, stimulating growth in the region. The influx of businesses and tourists will boost local economies, increase property values, and create a ripple effect of economic benefits throughout the province of Chiriqui. The potential for future expansion further consolidates Puerto Armuelles’ role as a key driver of regional development.

Instead, Puerto Barú is nestled in a series of mangrove-covered canals and lagoons, which would restrict space for expansion and could increase environmental risks. The need for extensive dredging and the protected status of surrounding mangroves may make it difficult to host larger ships or increase port capacity, potentially limiting their potential to support long-term economic growth.

In conclusion, Puerto Armuelles stands out as a strategic and sustainable option for port development in Panama. Its favorable site conditions, operational efficiency, and low environmental risks make it an ideal location for a multipurpose port that aligns with both economic growth and environmental protection.

Frequently asked questions

Exploring Puerto Armuelles: A Strategic Alternative for Port Development in Panama

1/ What is the alternative to Puerto Barú for port development in Panama?

The alternative to Puerto Barú for port development in Panama is Puerto Armuelles. Puerto Armuelles offers natural deep-water access, reducing the need for expensive dredging and minimizing environmental impact, while providing ample space for future expansions.

2/ Why does Puerto Barú face the concern of environmental defenders and residents?

Puerto Barú faces concerns about the potential impact that extensive dredging and port operations will have on mangroves, marine life and other species.

3/ Why is Puerto Armuelles considered to be the preferable alternative to Puerto Barú?

Puerto Armuelles is considered to be the optimal location for the new port of Chiriqui as it meets and exceeds the operational requirements established for development due to its natural deep-water access, its logistical advantages, its abundant space for future expansions and the absence of protected mangroves in the area.

4/ What is the environmental impact of the development of a port in Puerto Armuelles?

The development of the port of Chiriqui in Puerto Armuelles will minimize the need for dredging, thus protecting the David mangrove. Mangroves are home to multiple critically endangered species, such as the most endangered sea turtle, the hawksbill turtle; the Central American squirrel monkey and the green turtle.

In addition, the area is home to common bottlenose dolphins, birds, monkeys, iguanas, fish, crustaceans and mollusks. There have also been numerous sightings of the endangered green sea turtle in the vicinity.

5/ How would the development of a port in Puerto Armuelles benefit the economy?

The economic impact includes job creation, attracting investment, boosting trade, stimulating local economies, increasing property values, and providing space for future expansions that support long-term economic growth.

6/ How accessible is Puerto Armuelles?

Puerto Armuelles already offers access roads to the Pan-American Highway for the transport of goods.

7/ Who made the report on Puerto Armuelles?

The evaluation of Puerto Armuelles was carried out by the international company Lynker, a leading engineering firm in environmental modeling.