PANAMA CITY, Jan 16 – Panama’s port traffic rose 3.6% in 2025 to 9.9 million TEU containers compared to the previous year, the country’s Maritime Authority said on Friday.

The Central American nation’s ports feed into the larger Panama Canal, a pivotal passage connecting the Pacific and Atlantic oceans and a key route in the global trade network. 

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• The SSA Marine Manzanillo International Terminal, on Panama’s Atlantic coast, handled 2.9 million TEUs, up 5% from 2024.

• Panama Ports Company’s (PPC) Balboa terminal saw 2.7 million TEU containers, up 2%, while its Cristobal terminal saw a 9% rise in traffic and moved 1.2 million TEUs.

• The Colon Container Terminal saw the biggest increase in traffic last year, handling 1.7 million TEUs, a 10% spike versus a 2024.

• Panama International Terminal moved 1.4 million TEUs, down 2% compared to 2024. This was the only port to see a dip in traffic, according to the Maritime Authorities.

• “We also saw an increase in the repositioning of empty containers, which reaffirms the importance of the Panamanian hub as a strategic point for the redistribution of equipment in the region,” Max Florez, general director of ports and auxiliary maritime industries, said.

(Reporting by Elida Moreno, Editing by Natalia Siniawski)

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2026.

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