FOR the first time in three years Panamanian ports container volume showed strong growth in 2024 benefitting from restrictions at the Panama Canal, reports the UK's Maritime Seatrade News.

Container ports in Panama reported a combined volume of 9.57 million TEU, up 15.1 per cent compared to 8.32 million TEU in 2023, mostly due to the impact of the Panama Canal draught restrictions that forced many liners to unload and load cargo on both sides of the waterway.

All terminals recorded double digit growth during the first semester while Evergreen's Colon Container Terminal (CCT) and PSA-Panama ended the year hitting record figures of 1.57 million TEU and 1.38 million TEU respectively.

Container cargo transshipment represent 89.1 per cent of the total cargo while 10 per cent corresponds to import/export containers (10.3 per cent in TEU) and 0.6 per cent represents the total volume handled through the Colon Free Zone. Most containers, 58.1 per cent, moved in the Atlantic side and 41.9 per cent in the Pacific side.

On the Atlantic side, Colon Container Terminal (CCT) owned by the Taiwanese group Evergreen posted a record 1.57 million TEU, up 16 per cent compared to 2023. The Atlantic terminal had invested US$23 million in RTGs to expand its capacity.

Its neighbour, SSA Marine MIT saw volumes grow by 3.4 per cent to 2.71 million TEU, some 100,000 TEU short of its own record.

Cristobal, the Atlantic terminal administrated by Hutchison's Panama Ports Company (PPC), benefitted from the Panama Canal draught restrictions, and increased volume by 24.6 per cent to 1.11 million TEU.

On the Pacific side, Balboa also administrated by PPC volume increased by 13.7 per cent, registering 2.63 million TEU.

PSA-Panama posted an impressive growth of 30.9 per cent, the highest of Panama's terminals and its own record with 1.39 million TEU. The Singapore run terminal celebrates its 15th anniversary of operations in December 2025.

"2024 was an exceptional year in which PSA Panama reaffirmed its role as a vital bridge for trade across the Americas," said PSA-Panama CEO Enrique Piqueras.

"In 2025, PSA-Panama will celebrate 15 years of operations, with a forward-looking vision centred on strategic projects focused on innovation, security, sustainability, and the well-being of our team and communities," said Mr Piqueras.