Ms. Dorita de Bolaños
Commercial Director
When was your company established, Dorita? Who are the owners today and what is your main line of business?
Our Company was established in March 2010, but it really was March 2012 when we started full operations. Our principals are general manager Dorita Miranda de Bolaños & Andres Bolaños, both founders well known in the local market with good experience in logistics services. Also we have an operations manager Linda Young who has extensive experience in the industry.
Our main line of Business is related to Ocean, air and land transportation, including specialized cargo such as reefer and oversize cargo. We also offer value-added services such as customs brokerage & cargo insurance.
As an additional service, we provide consultancy, for example training in subjects related to logistics among others.
Panama is famous around the world for the Panama Canal. Tell us about your country it’s imports & exports and who are the major trading partners of Panama?
Yes, Panama is well known because of its logistics development lead by the Panama Canal which opened the road for a successful integrated logistics platform.
Panama’s strategic position provides a perfect spot for companies to settle their regional operations, taking advantage of the cargo capacity (different modes of transportation), frequencies and ample menu of destinations.
Import and export operations in Panama are very easy to perform due to several factors. One of them is because of the different customs scenarios we manage that provide companies with the flexibility to perform logistics operations. For example, we have a Free Zone in which companies can store products without paying taxes and with no time limit, this, combined with flexible customs regulations, creates a winning environment.
Our major trading partners are China & the USA, we also have some interesting volume coming from Europe.
Can you give us more details about the ports of Panama, both on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts?
Panama has an interesting port infrastructure capable of handling not only containers but also special cargo such as oversize project cargo, vehicles, reefers, LNG, DGR, and others. In addition, due to the strategic position, over 20 shipping lines are actually operating in Panama. This provides a good selection of alternatives in terms of capacity and convenient connectivity.
In the Atlantic area, we have three ports: Manzanillo, Cristóbal and Colon Container Terminal. In the Pacific, we have three ports: Balboa, PSA, and PATSA.
In addition to the port capabilities, we can add internal connectivity between the ports through a railroad system, road, and the Panama Canal.
How about customs clearance in Panama, is it difficult?
No, Panama is not difficult to make imports and business. Customs regulations are not complex.
Panama is always working and looking for ways to facilitate operations.
For example:
VUMPA (Ventanilla Unica Maritima de Panama) is a project that processes the arrival and departure of the ships in Panama, resulting in the verification of dual functions between entities, making the process for the shipping lines easy and agile due the large number of documents the captain must deliver to the ship when arriving at the port.
Does Panama offer free trade zones if someone would like to store goods for a shorter or a longer period of time waiting for it to be sold?
Yes, in Panama there is a Free Zone and there is not a time restriction when using the free trade zone. You can store them and develop your business in your own time. In order to take advantage of this scenario, all customers must be registered with the free zone administration in order to be able to operate there.
What types of projects or difficult shipments have you handled recently?
We provide service and handle cargo to companies that are working for large scale country projects such as hospitals, metro transportation, and commercial malls.
Why did you choose a career as a freight forwarder, Dorita?
I chose freight forwarding because Panama’s natural logistic capabilities and connections offer the possibility to integrate solutions to develop the freight forwarding business. Also because I love logistics, every shipment has different solutions and makes you look at everything from another angle.
Besides visiting the Panama Canal can you recommend any other places worth visiting in Panama?
Yes, Panama is a Small county but have special areas: In the countryside, we have Chiriquí, our main productive agriculture land. We also have San Blas, with beautiful beaches.
I am confident that some of our readers would like to get in touch with you to learn more, can you provide your contact details, please?
Yes, with great pleasure to all our colleagues interested in doing business with Panama, we are available to help you.
Dorita de Bolaños
Directora Comercial
dorita@corporaciondomi.com
linda@corporaciondomi.com
(operations manager)
atencionacliente@corporaciondomi.com
(customer service)