-
12:00
-
12:20
-
09:50
-
15:20
-
11:50
-
10:30
-
09:20
-
14:00
-
16:00
Follow us on Facebook
China shows interest in new Panama Canal ports
Several Chinese companies have expressed interest in bidding for the construction of two new ports along the Panama Canal, the canal administrator said on Tuesday, even as U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to reclaim control of the strategic waterway.
Earlier this year, Trump claimed that Beijing had gained influence over the canal because Hong Kong–based CK Hutchison Holdings operated terminals at both ends of the passage—Cristobal on the Atlantic side and Balboa on the Pacific. In March, the company agreed to transfer control of these ports to a consortium led by U.S. investment giant BlackRock, a deal viewed with suspicion in China and still awaiting completion.
Panama aims to attract roughly $8.5 billion in investment over the next decade to expand its port capacity, build a gas pipeline, and develop a new artificial lake, among other infrastructure projects.
“We must remain open to participation from all interested parties,” said canal administrator Ricaurte Vásquez, emphasizing that the tender will be conducted with “the widest possible competition” and that all bidders will be treated equally.
Vásquez declined to speculate on whether tensions with Washington could escalate if Chinese firms win the contracts. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to the river,” he told AFP, adding that discussions would come later depending on how the process unfolds.
The canal authority expects to award concessions in late 2026, with the two new ports scheduled to begin operations in 2029.
Companies that have shown interest include Hong Kong–based Cosco Shipping Ports and Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), Singapore’s PSA International, Taiwan’s Evergreen, Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd, Denmark’s Maersk, and France’s CMA Terminals.
Stretching 80 kilometers across Central America, the Panama Canal handles about 5% of global maritime trade, with the United States and China among its principal users.