The Hong Kong company CK Hutchison has formally requested the Government of Panama to open negotiations regarding the operation of the port terminals located at both ends of the Panama Canal. In statements issued on the Panamanian Radio Red, Panama Ports Company (PPC) spokesperson Alejandro Kouruklis indicated that the company is willing to "renegotiate absolutely everything" related to its concession to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals.
"We request that a dialogue take place between CK Hutchison and the representatives of the Executive to seek a reasonable solution to the Tribunal's decision," Kouruklis stated, who warned that without concrete steps to maintain activity, "chaos will erupt overnight."
The situation escalated last month when the Supreme Court of Panama declared unconstitutional the law that supported the original concession. Since then, Hutchison has alternated between statements defending its operations and threats of legal action. The governments of Hong Kong and China have publicly condemned the decisions of the Panamanian authorities, calling them politically motivated.
The concession was first granted in 1997 and renewed in 2021 for a period of 25 years through a direct awarding process without competitive bidding. CK Hutchison owns 90% of Panama Ports Company, with the remaining 10% belonging to the Panamanian state. The company claims to have made multimillion-dollar investments in the port facilities throughout its management.
In parallel to its request for dialogue, Hutchison has announced that it is exploring all available legal avenues, including recourse to international arbitration. The company has also issued a formal warning to APM Terminals —a subsidiary of Maersk— or any other company that might attempt to take control of its operations. The Panamanian government had previously indicated that APM Terminals would manage both facilities provisionally until a new tender was completed, prompting Hutchison's threat of legal action against the Danish company.
The Balboa and Cristóbal terminals handled around 38% of the almost ten million containers moved in Panama in 2025, making them critical infrastructure for international maritime trade. Their relevance has grown in recent years, coinciding with the sharp increase in container transshipment through the isthmus, particularly during the period when the canal faced water shortage issues.
The Panamanian government has assured the sector that the terminals will continue to operate normally during the transition process. Authorities have also announced their intention to call for a new tender that will include the condition that both terminals be managed independently of each other. Moreover, Panama has initiated plans to bid for the construction of competing terminals at each port and invited leading companies in the sector to submit their bids.