Coco Solo, Panama: Former U.S. naval base and key Atlantic gateway to the Panama Canal, now a major container port site.


Coco Solo is located on Panama’s Atlantic coast near the northern entrance of the Panama Canal, within the city of Colón. It hosts two major container terminals: Manzanillo International Terminal and Colón Container Terminal. The area is among the largest and most strategically important port complexes in the region, serving as a key transshipment hub for cargo moving between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Combined, the terminals handle over 5 million TEUs annually, with Manzanillo International Terminal alone having a capacity of up to 3.5 million TEUs.
Coco Solo, Panama hosts two major terminals: Manzanillo International Terminal (MIT) and Colon Container Terminal (CCT). MIT features 8 berths (6 container, 2 Ro-Ro), 19 post-panamax quay cranes, over 2,000 reefer plugs, and advanced terminal management systems. CCT offers 4 container berths, 11 quay cranes, and a handling capacity of 2.4 million TEUs. Both terminals provide extensive container storage, logistics parks, and multimodal connections; AGVs are not specifically mentioned.
Coco Solo, Panama, hosts two major container terminals: Manzanillo International Terminal (MIT) and Colon Container Terminal (CCT). MIT has 8 berths (6 for containers), a capacity of 3.5 million TEU, and is highly automated with advanced terminal management systems, operated by MIT Panama S.A. CCT offers 4 berths, a 2.4 million TEU capacity, modern equipment, and is operated by the Evergreen Group. Both terminals are among the most advanced in the region.
Coco Solo, located on Panama’s Atlantic coast near the entrance to the Panama Canal, is a major transshipment hub with direct connectivity to over 125 ports worldwide. It serves the Caribbean, North, Central, and South America, with frequent shipping routes to major markets in the Americas and the Far East. The port’s multimodal links include road, rail, and access to the Colon Free Zone, supporting efficient cargo movement across regional and global trade lanes.
Port: Coco Solo (Colon Container Terminal, CCT), Panama
TEU Throughput: Approximately 2.0–2.4 million TEU annually
World Ranking: Not in the global top 30, but among the largest in the Caribbean
Number of Berths: 4 container berths
Area: 74.33 hectares
Shipping Lines: Served by major global carriers, including Evergreen (terminal operator), and regular services from lines connecting the Americas, Caribbean, and Far East.
Step-by-step process and transit times for international vessel berthing, customs clearance, transloading, and final delivery.
Import & export process times from vessel arrival to cargo delivery.
Port authority inspection and transloading procedures and timelines.
Performance benchmarks, cargo throughput KPIs and reporting cadences.
Confirm cutoffs early
Confirm vessel cutoffs, customs filing deadlines, and drayage windows before cargo reaches the terminal to avoid storage and rollover costs.
Track utilization trends
Review berth productivity, dwell times, and throughput trends alongside capex progress to separate structural bottlenecks from short-term volume swings.
Keep gate data aligned
Keep appointment systems, yard status, and documentation status aligned to reduce avoidable delays in handoff and cargo release.
Tools and resources for shipping through Coco Solo, Panama.
Official statistics, research reports, and data tracking for Coco Solo, Panama.
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UN trade and maritime transport reference reports.
Global logistics and trade performance reference.
Search results for throughput, connectivity, and container statistics.
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Common inquiries about operations and logistics at Coco Solo, Panama.
Typical import flow is vessel arrival, berth assignment, discharge, customs review, terminal release, pickup or rail transfer, and final inland delivery. Timing depends on congestion, documentation, inspections, and local drayage capacity.
Export timing depends on gate cutoff windows, booking confirmation, documentation readiness, customs requirements, terminal operating hours, and vessel schedule reliability.
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