The Panama Canal has emerged as the latest maritime flashpoint, with the United States and China exchanging barbs in recent weeks over influence in what is one of the world’s most important shipping routes. Earlier this week, Washington and its allies in the region accused Beijing of detaining and holding up Panama-linked ships – and…
China has detained nearly 70 Panamanian-flagged ships after a Supreme Court ruling on the Panama Canal, US officials say. Published On 29 Apr 202629 Apr 2026 Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States have released a joint statement in support of Panama, while criticising Chinese economic retaliation, after a Hong…
The Port of Balboa at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal. (Walter Hurtado/Bloomberg) April 2, 2026 3:32 PM, EDT Key Takeaways: The U.S. accused China of harassing and detaining Panama-flagged ships after Panama’s Supreme Court voided CK Hutchison port contracts near the Panama Canal. Officials said the allegations heighten U.S.-China tensions before President Donald…
A bulk carrier and a cargo ship transit the Panama Canal in Panama City, Thursday, March 12, 2026. Matias Delacroix/AP U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives at the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting with partner countries in Cernay-la-Ville outside Paris, France, Friday, March 27, 2026. Michel Euler/AP The U.S. Navy warship USS Gridley docks at…
A subsidiary of Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings has expanded international arbitration claims against Panama, alleging damages have “escalated beyond US$2 billion” in what it called an “illegal takeover” of ports and property. The expanded claims, announced on Tuesday local time by the Panama Ports Company (PPC), part of Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing’s…
Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison has said it will pursue “all available legal remedies” through both national and international proceedings to resolve a dispute over its two Panama Canal ports seized by authorities in February. Amid the widening conflict in the Middle East which could further complicate its multibillion-dollar global ports sale, the company downplayed…
Cosco Shipping Ports, a unit of state-owned giant Cosco Shipping, reported modest earnings growth for 2025, as management expects to expand in emerging markets amid rising geopolitical risks to global trade. Net profit rose 1.1 per cent to US$312.1 million, and revenue increased 11 per cent to US$1.67 billion, according to its 2025 results. Total…
A subsidiary of Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings has accused Panama of missing a deadline for international arbitration initiated by the company, as it confirmed its offices had earlier been raided by alleged “armed security forces”. Panama Ports Company (PPC) on Tuesday also accused authorities of silencing the country’s press and disregarding the rule…
The Panamanian government has asked Chinese shipping giant Cosco to reconsider its decision to suspend operations at the Balboa port amid geopolitical tensions surrounding the strategic gateway and Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison Holdings. Panama’s Minister for Canal Affairs Jose Ramon Icaza told reporters on Friday that Cosco’s decision had caught the government off guard. “The…
Hong Kong is set to challenge London’s dominance in marine insurance as Middle East tensions highlight the city’s ability to provide war-risk cover at a lower cost, according to the local insurance regulator’s chairman. Stephen Yiu Kin-wah on Tuesday said the Insurance Authority had supported insurers in launching a special war-risk insurance pool last November,…