Meanwhile a bit to the east the canal itself is doing big business.*
From Bloomberg via gCaptain, October 24:
To hedge-fund billionaire Louis Bacon, the crystalline waters and densely forested riverways of the Gulf of Chiriqui in western Panama are an ecological oasis. To developer John McKeown, the gulf is a conduit to potential markets for the region’s prized produce and a boon for its economy.
Those clashing visions are at the heart of a bitter dispute between the two wealthy Americans, who both say they’re championing Panama’s best interests.
The feud centers on a $260 million port McKeown is seeking to develop on the country’s Pacific coast, just south of the city of David. Ocean Pacific Investments, the company McKeown leads, describes the project, Puerto Baru, as Panama’s first “green” port that will help relieve pressure on trading hubs in Panama City and integrate with trade routes to North America and Asia. Chiriqui, with a population of around 500,000, is Panama’s breadbasket, cultivating foods including coffee, papayas and shrimp.
The battle has escalated all the way to Panama’s Supreme Court, which is weighing the port’s environmental approval after a group of local nonprofits challenged it. Already, the fight has involved civil and criminal complaints against some of those NGOs. The outcome will dictate the fate of an unspoiled pocket of Panama that’s seen little of the wealth that flows through its high-flying capital.
To Bacon, the project poses an unacceptable risk....
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Panama Canal Traffic and Tonnage Rise Despite El Niño Challenges
The Panama Canal reported growth in vessel traffic, tonnage and revenue in fiscal year 2026, as stronger demand from energy carriers and containerships helped lift volumes despite ongoing concerns over water availability....
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