In an effort to reduce its carbon footprint and operate more sustainably, the Panama Canal is driving the electrification of its fleets.
However, there is a key segment facing a considerable challenge: the lack of suitable electric pickups available on the market.
“For our operations, especially in hard-to-reach areas and tasks that require robust vehicles, pickups are essential,” explains José Luis Ramírez, Administrative Manager of Fleet and Equipment Maintenance at the Panama Canal, in an interview with Mobility Portal Latin America.
While the electrification of passenger vehicles and buses has progressed, the market for electric pickups remains limited.
“We need to find a way to make the market attractive enough for automotive companies to provide us with these types of pickups,” says Ramírez.
It is important to note that these electric pickups must not only be energy efficient but also meet the load and durability requirements that the Canal’s operations demand.
According to Ramírez, these units are workhorses that will be used in forested areas or for pulling a boat or something heavier out of the water, so they need to have a certain capacity for these tasks.
This is a crucial segment that needs to be addressed by manufacturers to accelerate the transition to a fully electric fleet.
The Canal recognizes that this type of vehicle primarily comes from the United States.
However, Ramírez asserts: “They are not exporting them to us because they have significant demand in their own country, and they are meeting that demand before exporting.”
Present and future of the Panama Canal’s electric fleets
Currently, the Panama Canal has a fleet of approximately 875 vehicles, ranging from small vehicles to trucks and larger utility vehicles.
Of these, 26 are electric vehicles, with the expectation of increasing this number to 46 by the end of the year.
This increase would help reduce emissions by about 300 tonnes of CO2.
To put this into perspective, it takes around 46 trees to absorb the same amount of CO2 in a year.
Therefore, by multiplying these efforts, the importance of CO2 absorption and considering the environmental impact in the Canal’s operations becomes evident.
As a result, Beatriz González, Decarbonisation Specialist at the Panama Canal, points out: “We are working together with the IFC, part of the World Bank, on a sustainability strategy that will allow us to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.”
This commitment includes not only direct emissions from their operations (Scope 1 and 2) but also Scope 3 emissions, which encompass emissions generated by the ships transiting the canal and by suppliers.
Furthermore, the future plan foresees the gradual conversion of 290 internal combustion vehicles to zero-emission technologies.
“Our goal is that within a six-year period, these vehicles will have been replaced, provided that suitable electric or hybrid options are available on the market,” says Ramírez.
In terms of acquisitions, all vehicles are primarily procured through open tenders to ensure competition and obtain the best value for money.
Ramírez indicates that there are plans to tender an additional 23 electric vehicles next year.
“If a new offer emerges on the market during the execution of the Investment Programme, we can evaluate and switch from combustion vehicles to electric ones,” he concludes.
In summary, the Panama Canal, with its commitment to sustainability and ambitious net zero goals for 2050, is proving to be a leader in the region in transitioning to more sustainable vehicle fleets.
However, the success of this effort will largely depend on the evolution of the electric vehicle market and the availability of options that meet their demanding operational needs.
