Calls to relocate international port development in Panama that threatens an environmentally protected area

More than 50 organisations, who are part of the "No to Puerto Barú" campaign, including CIAM, Adopta Bosque, CEASPA, FUNDICCEP, Audubon Panama and PROMAR are campaigning to get Puerto Barú in David relocated, to minimise environmental damage to mangroves, marine species, and other wildlife.

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Moving the location of an international port development, Puerto Barú in David, to Puerto Armuelles instead could not only protect the environment but also have significant economic and environmental advantages for the region of Chiriquí over the currently proposed location.

The study follows calls from over 50 environmentalist groups campaigning for the Panamanian government to block the port that will significantly impact a sensitive area near the Puerto Barú project in David that is home to 25% of Panama's mangroves.

The area is also home to multiple sensitive species, including bottlenose dolphins, humpback whales and critically endangered species such as the hawksbill sea turtle and the black-crowned central American squirrel monkey. All of these species will be impacted if the Puerto Barú project in David goes ahead as planned.

The developers of Puerto Barú in David have claimed that the development will be Panama's first "green port," with environmentalist groups questioning how that can be the case when Panama's greatest asset, its environment, is at risk of being destroyed forever.

The new report, conducted by international firm Lynker, a leading environmental science and engineering consultancy, has found that alternative locations exist in the Chiriquí region, on the western coast of Panama, where a port could be built that would bring the economic value, without the environmental harm.

The study found that Puerto Armuelles has the key conditions for an international port: natural deep-waters, sufficiently sheltered conditions, and cargo route access to the Pan-American Highway.

Puerto Armuelles also is relatively unconstrained for growth compared to Puerto Barú, including its ability to accommodate higher frequency of traffic and ships up to 350m in length, double the size proposed for Puerto Barú.

The group of environmentalists campaigning for the port to be moved to Puerto Armuelles wants to remind the government of the environmental impacts associated with dredging and operations in the protected mangroves, which go against Panama's sustainable development goals.

Guido Berguido, Biologist and Director of Adopta Bosque, one of the organizations opposing Puerto Barú in David, said:

"We have said from the beginning that we can have it all; protect our environment and grow our economy. The main reason the location in David was chosen for the port was because it's owned by the developers, not because it's right for the country or our people."

"Puerto Armuelles not only provides better economic opportunities compared to the location in David, but it also ensures that our environment is not unnecessarily destroyed for future generations to come."

Joana Abrego, Legal Manager at CIAM, said:

"The findings of the report are clear, Puerto Armuelles is a better location for the port on all counts. The lack of consideration of this and other alternative locations for the port is an infringement of international environmental law."

"The government cannot continue to ignore that there are real alternatives and that as the president said in September, Puerto Barú in David demands too much from the environment. Authorities must now look at this new information and support our calls to relocate the port. It is not only right for the environment and economy, but it's right for the future of our country."

Dr. Julio Zyserman at Lynker, said:

"Our analysis shows that the oceanographic and bathymetric conditions around Puerto Armuelles are not only favourable for port operations, but that the site also has greater potential for increased investment in the future by accommodating more and larger vessels. Previous assumptions that the site could not handle heavy cargo are unfounded; this report shows that sustainable development of a multipurpose regional port, which will support the economy while avoiding disastrous environmental impacts, is possible."

Background Information

The controversial Puerto Barú project is a private, multipurpose port development in one of the most extensive and healthiest mangrove forests in Central America, 12 miles away from David City, on the Panamanian Pacific Coast. This area is home to 25% of all Panama's mangroves.

In September 2024, a group of organizations composed of conservation professionals, scientists, lawyers, and biologists, filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court of Justice to declare null and void the Resolution that approved the developer's Environmental Impact Study.

The group is not against development and wants to see a port built in the province of Chiriquí. That is why the group is now calling for other alternatives, like Puerto Armuelles, to be adequately considered, so that the environment is protected, and the economy can grow.

Notes to editors

1. The report identified a suitable port site on the south side of the city of Puerto Armuelles. Importantly, this site is just one of several viable locations; formal land and bathymetric surveys are needed to confirm the preliminary findings presented herein.

About Lynker

Based in Boulder, Colorado in the United States, Lynker delivers innovative scientific solutions to support global environmental security and economic prosperity as a trusted partner to governments, communities, and industry.

They are a premier science, engineering, and technology company supporting some of the world's most important missions. Their areas of specialties include Scientific and Technical Engineering Consulting Services, Environmental Modeling, Water Resources, Geospatial Solutions, and Program & Portfolio Management.

Lynker also stands out for their leadership in community engagement, spearheading initiatives to address climate change, advocate for responsible resource development, and enhance resilience to hazards like floods, droughts, and wildfires. Its modeling expertise spans surface, groundwater, and coastal systems at scales ranging from local to national, with contributions to Colorado municipal water systems, the U.S. National Water Model in partnership with NOAA, and long-term collaborations with clients in Central and South America.

A significant portion of Lynker's work focuses on producing hydrologic and environmental assessments that not only meet technical rigor but also provide practical, actionable solutions.

About Puerto Barú

A developer is pledging to build a multi-purpose port 20km from the center of the city of David, in the province of Chiriquí, Panama.

This project will operate in the western region, close to an area that is home to a quarter of the mangroves in Panama. The project crosses the Mangroves of David, which were declared a protected area by the Municipal Council of the District of David through Agreement No. 21 of June 6, 2007.

As part of the Puerto Barú project, developers are planning to build a main port area, a tank area for liquid goods such as palm oil, gasoline, diesel, fuel oil, jet fuel, a tourist and marine zone, and a residential development.

The environmentally protected area may be under threat by the construction and operation of the port.

While the port itself is to be located on private land, it is the vessel traffic from open sea to the port which risks causing lasting damage to the delicate ecosystem. For ships to call at the port, a navigation channel will have to be dredged. The channel will extend from the North Pacific Ocean, following Boca Brava, passing through Isla de Muertos to the Chiriquí Nuevo River.

SOURCE No To Puerto Barú