Royal Caribbean Group has presented a proposal to develop a new ship repair yard on Panama’s Pacific coast, a project that has received a positive initial response from Panamanian authorities. According to the report, company representatives met with President José Raúl Mulino and other senior officials to outline a plan for a facility capable of servicing large vessels, with operations targeted to begin by 2031.
The proposed shipyard would be located in the Punta Piedra area near Puerto Armuelles, close to Panama’s border with Costa Rica. The project includes a 130,000-ton floating dry dock measuring 400 meters in length, designed to accommodate some of Royal Caribbean’s largest cruise ships.
Royal Caribbean explained that the main objective is to create a repair facility for vessels operating along the Pacific coast, where large ships currently have limited access to suitable maintenance and dry-docking infrastructure. The company noted that many vessels must currently travel to Asia for major repair work, while a Panamanian facility could offer a more strategic alternative for ships operating in the region, including those transiting through the Panama Canal.
The report also notes that the proposed yard would not be limited to cruise ships. It could also serve other large vessels, including container ships, which currently lack adequate repair facilities on the Pacific side of the region. Panama already has a smaller shipyard in Balboa, near the Pacific entrance to the Canal, but its dry-dock capacity is limited to smaller vessels.
According to the Panama Maritime Authority, President Mulino expressed support for the initiative and said investments could begin as early as this year. He also emphasized that the project could strengthen Panama’s strategic role as a maritime hub while helping to generate employment and revitalize an area that has faced years of limited development. Royal Caribbean estimates the project could create between 500 and 800 jobs in the coming years.
The proposal reflects Royal Caribbean’s prior experience in shipyard development, including its long-standing investment with Carnival Corporation in the Grand Bahama Shipyard, which is currently undergoing expansion. The report suggests that a modern repair yard on Panama’s Pacific coast could also support the future deployment of larger ships in the region by providing more accessible repair and maintenance options.
