The Amador Cruise Terminal, constructed by China Harbor Engineering Company, was recently inaugurated in Panama. Panamanian President Laurentino Cortizo attended and presided over the ceremony.

Cortizo said the Amador Cruise Terminal is Panama's first modern cruise homeport in the Pacific region. Its strategic location near the entrance to the Panama Canal will make it an important hub for cruise ship rotations and passenger transfers in the Central and South American region, enhancing Panama's competitive advantage as the "Hub of the Americas".

The new terminal covers an area of 88 hectares and can accommodate large cruise ships carrying up to 5,000 passengers. It is expected to bring significant economic benefits to Panama's hotel, dining, tourism and transportation sectors.

Since its operational handover in December last year, the terminal has successfully hosted 105 cruise ships. Additionally, the connected causeway has become a renowned tourist attraction in Panama, drawing at least 200,000 visitors.

The Amador Cruise Terminal is Panama's first government tender project awarded to a Chinese company since establishing diplomatic relations with China in June 2017.

Located on Perico Island at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, the project includes a cruise terminal, slope protection dikes, port land reclamation and revetments, and onshore facilities such as a cruise terminal building and port offices. The development of the terminal is poised to position Panama as a tourism center in the Caribbean region, significantly boosting the country's tourism industry.