Colon (Panama)

Colon cruise port is located at the end of the Panama Canal (Caribbean Sea). The city is Panama's second-largest (population around 80,000/metro around 220,000) - after the capital Panama City.

On December 14, 2021, NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line announced that starts seasonally to homeport a ship in Panama City (for Panama Canal roundtrips) with Norwegian Jewel (starting on March 20, 2022).

• The homeporting was based on a multi-year contract (signed with the Panama Tourism Authority) allowing NCL to homeport a liner at two Panamese cruise terminals - Colon and Fuerte Amador (Panama City, on the Pacific Ocean).
• NCL Jewel's itineraries (starting from Panama City) visit Costa Rica (Puerto Limon), Aruba (Oranjestad), Curacao (Willemstad), Bonaire (Kralendijk), and Colombia (Cartagena), and end in Colon.

Port Colon (locode PAONX) is currently ranked the world's second-largest duty-free port (after Sanya China). The Port was established in 1850 and since 1948 is a "Free Trade Zone" (freeport). Colon Free Trade Zone occupies land area approx 2,4 km2 (~243 hectares/600 acres) and is divided in two areas - the old one is in Colon City and the new one is in the harbor (where are the warehouses.

Originally, Colon was entirely on Manzanillo Island and surrounded by Manzanillo Bay, Limon Bay, and Folks River. However, since the disestablishment of the Panama Canal Zone (aka Canal Zone/November 1903 thru October 1979), its limits have been redefined to include Fort Gulick (former US Army Base), as well three former Canal Zone towns (Coco Solo, Cristobal, Margarita).

A restoration and reconstruction project, which involves historic buildings, monuments, parks and avenues started in late 2014. The First Baptist Church of Colon, Panama, is among the buildings whose renovation was completed.

Colon cruise terminal