Copyright (c) 2025 Revista Colón Ciencias, Tecnología y Negocios
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The purpose of the study was to analyze the main shortages of marine spare parts and opportunities for improvement in the supply chain for vessels operating from the Port of Mensabé, located in the county of Santo Domingo, district of Las Tablas, province of Los Santos, republic of Panama. A descriptive and exploratory approach was used, with a quantitative and qualitative design, based on surveys applied to fishermen and boat owners of the Port of Mensabe. The sample included 23 clients, selected by means of a statistical formula. Through the application of surveys applied to a sample of 23 fishermen, it was identified that most of them have between 1 to 5 years of experience in the sector, which reflects a relevant knowledge of the operational difficulties they face. The results reveal a regular and sustained demand for spare parts, with 86.96% of those surveyed requiring them on a monthly basis, with preventive maintenance being carried out mainly every three months. Among the factors that most affect the availability of spare parts are long delivery times (43.48%), high prices (34.78%) and lack of availability (21.74%). The most demanded spare parts are those related to motors and hydraulic systems (39.13%). In addition, 100% of the respondents agreed that the shortage of spare parts directly affects the cold chain, compromising the quality of the fish product and generating lower sales prices. These findings show a critical weakness in the sector's logistics chain and support the urgent need to establish a local marine spare parts distribution center in Las Tablas, as a strategy to reduce response times, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen the sustainability of the regional fishing sector. The main findings suggest that the creation of local stores specializing in marine spare parts and the improvement of the port infrastructure are key measures to solve these problems. The results also indicate that fishermen are willing to participate in initiatives to improve access to spare parts, which is evidence of a business opportunity to strengthen the supply chain and optimize the competitiveness of the fishing sector in the region.
Este obra está bajo una licencia de Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 4.0 Internacional.
