​British Logistics Company Flying Flag Through Panama Canal For Global Sailing Race

The logo of Hampshire based freight and packing company PSP Logistics is a common sight on containers transiting the Panama Canal, but this British business put on a show of a different kind of vessel when the Clipper Race fleet travelled through the industrial wonder this month.

PSP Logistics provides amongst other trade routes a shipping service from China to the USA and regularly has cargo on container vessels transiting the Panama Canal but their latest use of the Panama Canal is as a competitor in the famous Clipper round the World race.

After racing for two weeks from Seattle to Panama, the PSP Logistics yacht joined the other ten 70-foot Clipper Race boats in transiting the 78 kilometre long Panama Canal, ahead of the current 1,900 nautical mile race to New York.

And just as the Panama Canal is a vital section of the 40,000 nautical mile, eleven month Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, bridging the gap from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean, the Canal is a crucial route for the company PSP Logistics.

Founder and Managing Director of PSP Logistics, Frank Dixie, said: “We have importer and exporter clients on the west coast of the USA, including Oakland, Seattle, and San Francisco. Every week ships carry containers belonging to these PSP clients through the Panama Canal. From the UK to Seattle it is a 30 day transit but without the use of the Panama Canal it would be an extra two weeks.

“We ship such a variety of products, including yachts, aviation parts, luxury cars, carpets, engines, marine spares, and toys, so as you can imagine, the value of the goods being shipped through this corridor is certainly worth millions of GBP.”

Matt Mitchell, the Skipper of Clipper Race entry PSP Logistics, added: “For our Team Partner, traversing the Panama Canal is a common occurrence but for the crew on board PSP Logistics, it really was a highlight of our round the world adventure. The feat of engineering was awe inspiring and we also loved seeing the communities we passed and the changing vistas along the way.”

IMAGE: One of the Clipper Race containers in Sydney.

PSP Logistics is also responsible for the lesser known Clipper Race circumnavigation – the movement of the containers carrying vital maintenance equipment to keep the eleven Clipper 70 ocean racing yachts going throughout their year-long challenge. These four crucial containers criss-cross the globe, making their way by sea, rail, and road to each of the thirteen Host Ports spread across six different continents.

Frank said: “The key to ensuring that the containers are in the right place at the right time, is to have meticulously planned each stage of the logistics working with reliable and professional partners in each of the destinations. As most of the stopovers are in completely different time zones, a local representative is essential when communicating updates and helping on the ground. This is our fifth race as the Official Logistics Partner and we are hugely proud and excited to be a part of such an incredible global event.”

The PSP Logistics yacht is currently sixth in the overall Clipper Race Standings and has featured on the podium four times, including winning Race 7 from the Whitsundays, Australia, to Sanya in China.

The Clipper Race fleet is expected to arrive in New York between 14-16 June. To follow the progress of the teams, keep and eye on the Race Viewer on the Clipper Race website.