‘Orca’ links TT with Far East

“With the widening of the Panama Canal we are going to see TT becoming a bigger trans- shipment point for this part of the world,” said Cadiz.“The new East-West route which is opened through the Panama Canal, augurs very well for our exports and imports.”

He said Far East countries, such as China would provide ideal opportunities for import-export trade.

“We cannot compete with China in certain areas because they have certain advantages. We have to find out niche market and develop that,” said Cadiz.

The Minister said since TT is ideally located off the Panama Canal, it provides an opportunity to do a lot more business with other countries.

“Not only business opportunities for TT trading with the Far East, but also with TT becoming a trans-shipment point. This is very good business,” said Cadiz.

The Minister said he was very happy to have the Orca come through TT, even though Government was not instrumental in getting it here.

“It was part of CMA CGM’s shipping line’s business. We are going to see more Orca-type vessels coming through here though,” said Cadiz.

He said the Orca brought 350 containers on this voyage and will carry back up over 400 containers from Trinidad on its way out.

The Orca joined ten vessels already deployed in CMA CGM’s PEX 2 service which links Asia to Mexico and the Caribbean.

The Orca, which is four years old and originally from Korea, is one of the longest containerships able to cross the Panama Canal.

The vessel has a carrying capacity of 5,100 containers.