PANAMA Canal officials recently met top clients, government officials, and maritime authorities in China, Japan, and South Korea to explain the impact of the Panama Canal expansion programme in Asia.

"We always keep a close communication with our customers and this is a new opportunity to discuss issues of common interest, while we put into perspective the impact of Panama and the Canal expansion to maritime trade," said Panama Canal administrator Alberto Aleman Zubieta.

China, Japan and South Korea are among the top five users of the Panama Canal, with China being second biggest user, followed by Japan (4th) and South Korea (5th).

In Shanghai, the representatives of the Panama Canal participated in the JOC Container Shipping Conference 2012 where the executive vice-president of engineering and project management, Jorge Luis Quijano, presented the "Potential Impact of the Panama Canal Expansion in Global Supply Chain." They also had contacts with directors of China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL).

In Beijing Panama official met Cosco president Wei Jiafu and other company executives.

"These direct contacts allow us to know first-hand what our customers and users of the Panama Canal think, with the goal of always providing quality service to uphold the competitiveness of the Panama route," said Aleman Zubieta.

In Japan, the canal executives met Tokyo government officials from the Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and also spoke to the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and with representatives of "K" Line, MOL and NYK Line and the Japanese Shipowners' Association.

In South Korea, the officials held discussions with executives from Samsung Heavy Industries and also toured facilities of the Busan Port Authority. In Seoul, the group met executives from Hyundai and officials from the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs and the Korean Shipowners' Association.