Panama Court Voids CK Hutchison Port Contracts

The Port of Balboa, formerly managed by CK Hutchison Holdings, based in Hong Kong, located at the entrance to the Panama Canal in Panama City, on March 12, 2025. MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP

Panama’s Supreme Court has annulled key port contracts held by a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison, leaving the future ownership of some Panama Canal operations unclear and possibly upsetting its plans to sell some terminals.

Panama Ports Company (PPC), a CK Hutchison subsidiary, has held contracts since the 1990s to operate container terminals at the canal’s Pacific and Atlantic entrances, separate from the waterway’s operations.

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