Coverage of Panama’s corporate world, markets, startups, and trade developments. We provide news, analysis, and practical insights for business leaders and entrepreneurs.
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.
Panama Canal fees have risen as global shipping is rerouted away from instability around the Strait of Hormuz. Panama says it is maximizing returns from the waterway as traffic increases.
Panamanian authorities are investigating a cybersecurity incident involving Panama Emprende after alerts about a possible database leak on dark web forums. MICI is working with AIG on the review.
AMP has allowed POTSA to keep operating at its Balboa concession while legal motions tied to a deadly fire are reviewed. The decision comes as safety concerns remain under scrutiny after the explosion and blaze near the Bridge of the Americas.