COSCO Shipping said it will stop calling at Panama’s Port of Balboa, according to a notice shared with Panamanian newspaper La Prensa, as tensions continue around control of key Panama Canal port assets.
In the notice, COSCO Shipping said its vessels would no longer arrive at or depart from the Pacific-side port. The company also advised partners to prepare in advance to avoid cargo and logistics delays.
AFP said it was unable to independently confirm the reported change immediately.
The development followed Panama’s move to retake control of Port of Balboa on 23 February. Panama also regained control of the Atlantic-side Port of Cristobal after a local court cancelled a long-running contract that had allowed a unit of CK Hutchison Holdings to manage both ports since 1997.
The two ports are critical to canal-linked trade. About 38% of all containers moving through the Panama Canal passed through Balboa and Cristobal last year.
China warned Panama that the move could bring consequences.
The issue has drawn Panama further into broader tensions between Washington and Beijing. Last year, US President Donald Trump claimed, without providing evidence, that China effectively runs the canal.
Panama has denied Chinese control over the 80-km waterway, which is used mainly by the United States and China.
