After the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) ruling on the concession of the Balboa and Cristóbal ports became final, the Ministry of the Presidency ordered the Maritime Authority of Panama (AMP) to take control of all assets located inside or outside the facilities of both terminals, with the purpose of maintaining their operations. During this period, the new permanent concession model for the two terminals will also be defined, which will be carried out through an international tender, but it is not ruled out that it may be different from the current one. Pointing out that its objective is to ensure the continuity of port operations and avoid serious harm at the national and international levels, the ministry stated that cranes, vehicles, computers, programs, software, and other equipment will be under the custody of the AMP. The Minister of Labor, Jackeline Muñoz, indicated that the labor transition will be made through the figure of 'patrimonial substitution' so that the new companies will assume the disbursement of these responsibilities once they take over the operation of the ports. The Government, through Executive Decree No. 23 of February 23, 2026, appointed Alberto Alemán Zubieta in charge of the port transition. The head of the port transition, Alberto Alemán Zubieta, detailed that the 'occupation' decree issued by the Executive seeks for the equipment that remains in the area to be operated by Panama while a temporary concession is granted. In turn, Max Flores, national director of ports of the AMP, mentioned that this Monday a plan for the transitional operation of both operators will be approved, valid until the definitive operators are selected to protect the country's interests. The regulation also dictates that the Ministry of Labor and Labor Development (Mitradel) will take the corresponding legal measures and actions to guarantee the payment of benefits to workers. It is worth noting that the ports will be granted for a period of 18 months to two different shipping companies, not one as had been announced a few weeks ago. 'This roadmap will be presented before the Council of Cabinet for its approval,' he asserted. APM Terminals, a subsidiary of the AP Moller-Maersk group, will be in charge solely of the Balboa port.
Panama Takes Control of Balboa and Cristóbal Ports
Following a final Supreme Court ruling, Panama has taken control of the Balboa and Cristóbal ports. The government has established a transition period and is preparing an international tender for a new concession to avoid serious economic consequences.
