March 1977 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News

Northville To Engineer Pacific Deepwater Port For Panama Government

Northville Industries of Huntington Station, N.Y., has announced the receipt of a contract with the government of Panama to conduct the first stage of a crude oil supertanker transshipment terminal on the Pacific Coast. The award authorizes Northville Industries to proceed with a feasibility study, site selection, engineering design, financial arrangements and related matters looking toward a joint Northville - Panama government enterprise.

Northville said that the Panama terminal could receive supertankers carrying North Slope crude from Valdez, Alaska, as well as from Indonesian and Middle Eastern fields. The crude oil would then be transshipped through the Panama Canal in tankers up to approximately 60,000 dwt for delivery to U.S.

Gulf and East Coast refineries.

Transshipment via Pacific waters to West Coast refineries lacking deepwater ports capable of accommodating supertankers is also a possibility.

According to Northville, the West Coast of Panama offers the necessary deep water close to shore to dock fully laden VLCCs and ULCCs.

Northville Industries was responsible for developing a similar crude oil supertanker transshipment terminal on the island of Bonaire in the Netherlands Antilles, which is currently operated as a joint venture between Northville and a Netherlands firm.

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