Pins matching tag:Panama

The Panama Canal opened to commercial traffic on 15 August 1914 when the Panama Railroad steamer SS Ancon made the first official transit. The outbreak of World War I cancelled the planned grand celebration.

On 7 September 1977 US President Jimmy Carter and Panama's General Omar Torrijos signed two treaties in Washington that replaced the 1903 canal treaty and promised Panama control of the canal at the end of the century.

At noon on 31 December 1999 the Panama Canal and all former Canal Zone land came under Panama's exclusive control, as the Torrijos-Carter Treaties required. The Panama Canal Authority took over running the waterway.

On 30 October 2023 the Panama Canal Authority announced a staged cut in daily transits after the driest October on record, the first time the canal had ever restricted transits. It was later softened but queues of ships built up for weeks.

In his 20 January 2025 inaugural address President Trump said China was operating the Panama Canal and 'we're taking it back'. Panama's president rejected the claim within hours.

On 4 March 2025 CK Hutchison announced an agreement in principle to sell its ports, including the Balboa and Cristobal terminals at the ends of the Panama Canal, to a BlackRock and MSC-linked consortium. The deal was valued at 22.8 billion dollars.

Panama's Supreme Court ruled on 29 January 2026 that the concession held by CK Hutchison's Panama Ports Company at Balboa and Cristobal was unconstitutional. The decision clouded the 23 billion dollar BlackRock and MSC ports sale.

On 23 February 2026 Panama's government annulled CK Hutchison's port contracts and took control of the Balboa and Cristobal terminals, with Maersk's APM Terminals and MSC running them in the interim. Hutchison called the decree unlawful.

Substitute Brandon Thomas-Asante's cross set up Caleb Yirenkyi's stoppage-time winner as Ghana beat Panama 1-0 in Toronto in both sides' World Cup opener.

Substitute Ante Budimir scored nine minutes after coming on to give Croatia a 1-0 win at BMO Field in Group L, ending Panama's chances of reaching the round of 32.

Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored in the second half as England beat Panama 2-0 at MetLife Stadium, winning Group L, with Kane setting an England World Cup scoring record.

On 28 September 2026 the Panama Canal Authority said it will raise daily Neopanamax transits from nine to 10, for 33 slots in total, from 15 October. It also raised the maximum Neopanamax draft to 14.94 metres, citing better rainfall and Gatun Lake projections.