Category: Business

Panama Canal transit fees for some oil shipments have risen sharply as Japan moves to import more U.S. crude. The change highlights the canal’s key role in global energy trade.

ENSA has scheduled preventive maintenance on its electrical network from April 27 to May 3, 2026, with temporary interruptions possible in specific areas. Customers can check if their NAC is affected through the utility’s interruptions portal.

Fundación Sus Buenos Vecinos has rebranded as Fundación Banco General to mark 30 years of social work in Panama. The organization says its mission remains focused on education, inclusion, and community support.

Japan’s move to increase U.S. oil imports is sending more tanker traffic through the Panama Canal, helping drive up transit fees. The shift highlights the canal’s role in global energy trade and Panama’s exposure to changing shipping patterns.

The Panama Canal is seeing a traffic surge as shipping disruptions elsewhere push vessels toward Panama, with some operators paying up to $4 million for expedited passage. The spike underscores the canal’s role as a vital global trade route.

Panama City’s global importance did not begin with the canal. Its role as a trade crossroads predates the waterway and helps explain the capital’s long commercial significance.

Businesses are paying up to $4 million for priority Panama Canal crossings as global trade disruption drives intense demand for non-reserved slots. The surge underscores the canal’s importance to world shipping.

Panama registered 84,067 labor contracts in the first quarter of 2026, up 16,923 from the same period in 2025, according to MITRADEL. The increase points to stronger hiring activity in the formal job market.

Cobre Panamá is moving forward with a hiring process aimed at creating 1,000 direct jobs, with a focus on Panamanians in nearby communities. The effort highlights the project’s local economic impact and demand for skilled workers.

Cobre Panamá is advancing a hiring process tied to its preservation and safe management plan, with more than 1,300 people already hired and 1,000 more direct jobs projected. Most positions are going to residents of nearby communities in Coclé and Colón.

The Star Princess visited the Panama Canal, highlighting the country’s continuing role in global cruise travel and maritime tourism. The stop reinforces the canal’s appeal as a signature experience for international passengers.

Panama’s mining debate is shifting toward economic recovery, with growing attention on jobs, public revenue and environmental safeguards. The conversation now centers on how to reopen responsibly rather than whether development and protection can coexist.

The IMA is staging agro-fairs across Panama this Monday, with rice sold at $5 and other low-cost food items available from 8:00 a.m. The events are aimed at helping families save on essential groceries.

Panama City’s municipality has launched an online portal for residents to report suspected construction irregularities. The initiative comes as building activity rebounds and city officials seek stronger urban oversight.

A major strait closure has pushed more ships toward the Panama Canal, driving up transit costs and underscoring the waterway’s global importance. The spike highlights Panama’s role at the center of international shipping.

Varela Hermanos has launched Seco Herrerano Reposado Cristalino, a premium new expression of Panama’s iconic sugarcane spirit. The release blends French oak aging and charcoal filtration with the brand’s 75-year legacy.

Business groups in Panama are urging the government to define a national strategy as the country weighs possible OECD accession. The private sector says the move should be treated as a long-term economic and institutional decision.

Panama’s business groups are weighing the benefits of OECD standards as a way to boost competitiveness and trust. They also warn that education, productivity, and institutional gaps could slow progress.

The Panama Canal posted higher traffic and stronger demand in the first half of fiscal 2026, pointing to a rebound in one of Panama’s most important economic engines. The increase underscores the canal’s central role in global trade.

A ship that paid about $4 million to transit the Panama Canal has attracted attention after being redirected. The case highlights the canal’s central role in global trade and the high stakes of shipping logistics.