Developing the 1200ha along the Panama Canal including port activities and economic zone is a very good example how to balance environmental impact with other aspects of sustainability. All the land between the locks at both ocean sides is vulnerable. Nature and wild life are in a safe environment because the area is in fact the main fresh water basin for Panama as a country. Sea going vessels passing the Panama Canal from one ocean to the other, will cross the artificial lake Gatún containing the supply of fresh water for Panama. Any new development along the canal could impact this system. Dilemma is that Panama requires economic development. Economic and social goals have to be balanced with environmental goals. The Canal is the unique selling point of Panama and Panama can benefit from the ships passing the Canal. If a new economic zone and port area is developed it will be connected to both oceans, the nearby regions and the rest of the world because of the Canal. In order to benefit from this unique selling point, the required area development has to be along the canal.

In the design for the Westbank 1200ha all planned seaport activities are located outside the locks in order to avoid any contamination of the fresh water system; seagoing vessels have ballast water tanks and water from these tanks cannot be discharged into the fresh water of the Canal. The land along the Canal inside the locks will be used for logistics and industry. Smart road designs include a sewage system to avoid uncontrolled water flows in case of heavy rainfall. By doing so the fresh water system is protected for any impact of the port and industrial activities.

The planned development will result in heavy traffic. Currently mainly trucks are used to connect to the container terminals at both ends of the Canal. In order to reduce road traffic, a barge concept has been developed in order to use the Canal for connectivity between the industries located in the economic zone and the container terminals.

In the economic zone and industrial area large energy consumption can be expected by processing and refrigerated warehouses. Between the old locks and the new locks of the Canal a large artificial island is not accessible and therefore not fit for development. This area can be used for a large solar panel fields that will provide substantial capacity for these activities.

This integral vision and approach of this development was directed by Arènso Bakker, now working for NLhave. By using old maps he discovered that the original design of the Canal included substantial port activities. In the past 100 years the Canal focused only on transshipments instead of the presence of port economy at the entrances of the Canal. The balance between environment, economy, social capital and human capital as well as the unique selling point of the Canal zone have been the main ingredients to create value for Panama with this project.


Arènso is now nominated for this plan in the campaign ‘Pride in the profession’ of RICS 150 anniversary. To celebrate this milestone, RICS  launched the Pride in the Profession initiative to showcase the significant and positive impact surveyors have made to society. Over 150 nominations of exceptional surveying stories have been received from RICS professionals around the world, and these industry-shaping achievements have been shortlisted.
You can vote for the nomination of Arènso Bakker via this link.