Logistics in the Colon Free Zone

The Panamanian Free Zone has a wide variety of freight forwarders that will provide the support and reach your logistics operations demand; from the moment you purchase your products until their delivery in your destination country, providing solutions to merchandise transport issues.

There are 3 types of shipments depending on the destination country: air shipping reaches any corner of Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe; sea transport is divided into two categories, Full Container Load [FCL] where the cargo occupies the total space available in a container, or Less than Container Load [LCL] where merchandise is grouped and loaded into a container with other groupages; in addition to land transport to Central American countries.

Remember that you buy Tax-Free in Panama, but that does not mean that in your country you do not have to pay taxes or tariffs for the importation of merchandise. Below we show you the requirements you will need to import.

When shipping products purchased in ZOLICOL via sea transport, it is important to take the different methods into account.

The Full Container Load (FCL) Service offers you greater security when transporting your merchandise since, as the name indicates, you have the entire container exclusively for your purchased products. It is used by companies that need to transport large volumes of merchandise more quickly and safely, since being sealed ensures that no one can tamper with the merchandise inside until it reaches its destination.

On the other hand, the Less than Container Load (LCL) Service consists of safely grouping several loads to maintain their quality until they arrive at their destination. It has a lower cost because delivery times will depend on how long it takes to fill the entire container to proceed with its shipment to the destination. This type of shipping benefits those who are going to transport a small quantity since you only pay for the portion used in the container.

From the Free Zone, a safe, fast, and high-quality Land Transport service is offered, capable of taking your guarded merchandise from Panama to countries such as Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, or even transporting your cargo within the isthmus itself.

The cargo can be insured to be sent using Full Truckloads (FTL) or Less than Truckload (LTL) in 48 or 53-foot linear containers, across Central American highways, offering customers a constant update of their location via GPS Tracker.

Other advantages of land transport in Central America are the following:

• Low cost: In general, land transport is usually cheaper than other modes of transport, such as air or sea. This is because the cost of fuel and vehicle maintenance is lower than in other means of transport.
• Greater flexibility: Land transport allows greater flexibility in terms of routes and schedules. Vehicles can take alternative paths or change routes in case of obstacles or road closures. In addition, land transport allows deliveries at a specific time, which is very useful for transporting perishable goods.
• Greater load capacity: Land transport vehicles can carry large quantities of goods at once, making them ideal for transporting bulky or heavy products.
• Greater control and security: Land transport allows greater control and security over transported goods. Drivers can maintain greater vigilance over the cargo and ensure that it reaches its destination in perfect condition.
• Greater accessibility: In general, land transport is more accessible than other modes of transport in terms of cost and availability. Many rural or hard-to-reach areas are only accessible via land routes, making land transport the only available option to reach them.

Find logistics companies dedicated to receiving, storing, and distributing your merchandise, with warehouses for rent adapted according to the specifications your products require. They also have the latest tools in inventory management, giving the customer greater control and flexibility in the preparation and dispatch of their products for retail, wholesale, or e-commerce sales.

Freight, Customs, and Logistics Agents offer value-added services to provide basic to the most complex solutions:

• Product inspection and regulatory compliance
• Product repackaging
• Printing and Identification with barcodes
• Product labeling [Sewn, Glued, Heat-sealed]

To carry out the storage and distribution of goods efficiently, it is important to have good planning and organization. This implies taking into account the type and quantity of goods to be stored, the estimated storage time, and the final destination of the goods. In addition, it is essential to have an inventory management and control system to keep track of stored goods and be able to monitor their movement.

In short, they are key processes in the country’s international trade, requiring good planning and organization to ensure their efficiency and success.