In the second quarter of this year, the Panama Canal was 3,296 ships transited, with an increase of +16.3% on the same period of 2024, of which 2,936 high-level naval units draught (+19.0%) including 815 Neopanamax vessels (+15.9%). In the period Ships that have crossed the Central American waterway transported 60.6 million tonnes of goods (+15.2%) and in the quarter, transit charges paid by ships amounted to one billion dollars (+24.1%).

In the first six months of 2025, maritime traffic in the canal 6,855 ships, up +25.7% on the first half of last year, of which 5,967 units of high draft (+30.3%) including 1,606 Neopanamax units (+22.4%). The volume of goods embarked on ships that crossed the canal was of 120.6 million tons and in the first half of the year of this year, transit fees paid by ships were equal to $2.0 billion (+33.2%).

Meanwhile, on Friday, the Panama Ports Company (PPC), the which operates the container terminals of the Panamanian ports of Balboa and Cristóbal placed at the two entrances to the canal, made it possible to notes the intention to engage with the Panamanian Government. The company is part of the Hutchison Ports group, which in turn is part of the CK Hutchison Holdings group of Hong Kong, and its activity first came into the president's crosshairs Donald Trump intends to counter and reduce the presence of Chinese entities in the Americas and other parts of the world and immediately after in the crosshairs of the same authorities Panamanians who denounced the limited return of work of the Chinese terminal operator company on the national economy and have criticized the way in which the concession to PPC, approved by a law of 1997. They have actions to corner the Panama Ports Company, the last of which came on Wednesday from the Court of the Panamanian Accounts, which has brought two cases before the Court of Justice, Supreme Court to cancel the concession contract.

In a statement, with reference to the negotiations with the consortium formed by TiL (MSC group) and BlackRock/GIP for the sale of Hutchison Ports ( of 4 March 2025), PPC recalled that, as a member of the Hutchison Ports, is part of a non-sales process and specified that, "at the appropriate time, During the sales process, PPC will communicate with the parties including the Panamanian government. We believe we can affirm - continues the note - that the dialogue with the Government of Panama is essential to discuss the future of PPC and to want to working with the government for a better future in support of the Panamanian people. Regarding the ongoing legal actions, We firmly believe that compliance with legal protection and rule of law are essential to ensure that businesses and investors the certainty that Panama is a safe nation in which invest. Our history of over 28 years – he underlined Panama Ports Company - is proof of the positive impact that we have generated, building world-class ports, creating over 25,000 direct and indirect jobs and contributing with billion balboa to the Panamanian economy. PPC keeps asking respectful coordination and constructive consultations for safeguard the concession that provided high-quality services for the benefit of Panama and the world".

In addition to the legal action, to further complicate the situation have come in recent days the announcements of CK Hutchison who has announced his intention to include an investor Chinese in the consortium to sell Hutchison Ports and the president José Raúl Mulino, who proposed to include the Panamanian State in the same consortium in relation to to the acquisition of Panama Ports Company alone ( of 25 July and 1 August 2025).