Monthly Archives: August 2021

We are pleased to announce that Curie, a Google-owned subsea cable, has been successfully installed and tested. We are currently connecting it to Google’s network, and expect the private cable to begin transmitting data in Q2 2020, powering Google services like Gmail, Search, YouTube and Google Cloud.

Equipped with four 18 Tbps fiber-optic pairs and running from the United States to Chile, Curie is 10,500 kilometers long and delivers 72 Tbps of much needed bandwidth to South America. Curie landed in Valparaiso last April, and was the first subsea cable to connect to Chile in 19 years. The historic landing was made possible in partnership with SubCom, a global partner for undersea data transport, which engineered, manufactured and installed the Curie system ahead of schedule. 

We are excited to announce we’re adding the first Curie branch into Panama. Once operational, this branch will enhance connectivity and bandwidth to Central America, and increase our ability to connect to other networks in the region, providing resiliency to our global cloud infrastructure. For seamless integration, SubCom has also been selected to supply the Curie branch to Panama.

By owning and operating our own subsea cables we can add a layer of security beyond what’s available over the public internet, and can plan effectively for the future capacity needs of our customers and users around the world. 

Commissioned in 2018, Curie was our third wholly-owned subsea cable. Since then, we’ve also commissioned Dunant, which crosses the Atlantic from the Virginia coast in the U.S. to the French coast; and Equiano, which will route from Portugal to South Africa. Once again, we’re reminded that the cloud isn’t in the sky—it’s in the ocean.

Read more: https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/infrastructure/curie-subsea-cable-set-to-transmit-to-chile-with-a-pit-stop-to-panama

Panama City, Panama, August 2, 2021 – From August 1 to November 30, 2021, the Panama Canal will once again promote the implementation of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) speed and navigational recommendations to protect whales, dolphins, and other large aquatic animals, as they start their nearby seasonal migration.

In accordance with the IMO’s recommendations, ships traveling to and from the Canal via the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean during this period must stay within designated navigation areas known as Traffic Separation Schemes (TSS), which decrease the overlap between vessels entering or exiting the Canal and migrating marine life. Vessels traveling through these areas on the Pacific side of the Canal should also proceed at a speed of no more than 10 knots, a practice known as Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR).

These measures, first implemented and promoted by the Canal in 2014, have significantly reduced the likelihood of interactions and serious incidents involving whales and other cetaceans, while assuring maritime safety and control of vessels transiting the waters surrounding the Canal. Compliance with the TSS measures by the Panama Canal has proven critical, as the Gulf of Panama is an important wintering ground for migrating humpback whales. 

“When we talk about sustainability at the Canal, we take into account the protection and wellbeing of our entire ecosystem and biodiversity,” said Panama Canal Administrator Ricaurte Vásquez Morales. “These measures show that a small change can mean a huge difference when our industry works together to prioritize sustainability. We are grateful for our customers who continue to recognize the value of these measures and the Panama Canal’s offerings as a green route for global maritime trade.”

A study commissioned by the Panama Canal also found that the TSS program garnered significant emissions reductions. Analysis of the speed, position and heading data from vessels’ automatic identification systems (AIS) confirmed that compliance with the annual recommendations lowered a vessel’s greenhouse gas (GHG) and pollutant gas emissions by an average of 75 percent. The savings varied by the vessel type, size, and fuel, but resulted in over 20,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) saved in total between 2017 and 2020. 

Being an all-water route, Panama Canal recognizes first-hand the impact of rising global temperatures and the importance of protecting our oceans. The waterway is focused on elevating its sustainable operations and value for the global supply chain, and these efforts are just another example of its commitment towards mitigating the effects of climate change, ensuring ocean conservancy and protecting biodiversity. 

Read more: https://www.pancanal.com/eng/pr/press-releases/2021/08/02/pr711.html

This follow-up report analyses the progress made by Panama in addressing the technical compliance deficiencies identified in its 2018 Mutual Evaluation Report.

Panama has been making important progress and has been re-rated on the following nine recommendations:

• Recommendation 14 from Partially Compliant to Compliant
• Recommendation 19 from Partially Compliant to Largely Compliant
• Recommendation 32 from Largely Compliant to Compliant
• Recommendation 33 from Partially Compliant to Compliant

Panama will continue in the enhanced follow-up process and will continue to report to GAFILAT on the progress made to strengthen its implementation of AML/CFT measures.

Read more: https://www.fatf-gafi.org/publications/mutualevaluations/documents/fur-panama-2019.html

On June 14, 2021, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund concluded the consideration of the Article IV consultation of Panama. Under Article IV of its Articles of Agreement, the IMF has a mandate to exercise surveillance over the economic, financial and exchange rate policies of its members in order to ensure the effective operation of the international monetary system. The IMF’s appraisal of such policies involves a comprehensive analysis of the general economic situation and policy strategy of each member country. IMF economists visit the member country, usually once a year, to collect and analyze data and hold discussions with government and central bank officials. Upon its return, the staff submits a report to the IMF’s Executive Board for discussion. The Board’s views are subsequently summarized and transmitted to the country authorities.

The Staff Report will be published in due course as the authorities needed more time to review its content.

Read more: https://www.imf.org/en/Countries/PAN