Panama's Supreme Court of Justice has put the brakes on a Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) subsidiary's challenge to a government plan to build a new container transshipment terminal on the country's west coast.
The Hong Kong port services giant's Panama Ports Company (PPC) has been seeking to block a plan to build an $800m facility at Corozal, on the banks of the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal.
But local daily La Prensa reports that the court, which is the country's highest, has declined to admit the request for a protective order.
Constitutional complaint
PPC had challenged the constitutionality of a Panama Canal Authority (ACP) resolution allowing a tender for a concession to build and operate the facility.
Last year, the agency rejected a request by PPC to expand its nearby container terminal operations onto the Corozal site.
Maersk's APM Terminals, PSA International of Singapore, French company Terminal Link and Terminal Investment Limited of the Netherlands are vying to operate the port, which will be the third container facility on the canal's Pacific side.
