The Panama Maritime Authority has announced that it has seen a 3.6% rise in container traffic in 2025. According to the Maritime Authority, traffic rose 3.6% in 2025 to 9.9 million TEUs containers compared to the previous year.
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The Central American nation’s ports feed into the larger Panama Canal, a pivotal passage connecting the Pacific and Atlantic oceans and a key route in the global trade network.
The SSA Marine Manzanillo International Terminal, located on Panama’s Atlantic coast, handled 2.9 million TEUs – up 5% from 2024. Whilst Panama Ports Company’s (PPC) Balboa terminal saw container throughput hit 2.7 million TEUs, up 2%, while its Cristobal terminal saw a 9% rise in traffic and moved 1.2 million TEUs. The Colon Container Terminal saw the biggest increase in traffic in 2025, handlinga total of 1.7 million TEUs – a 10% increase compared to 2024. The only port to see a dip in traffic, according to the Maritime Authorities, was Panama International Terminal handling a mere 1.4 million TEUs, down 2% compared to 2024.
“We also saw an increase in the repositioning of empty containers, which reaffirms the importance of the Panamanian hub as a strategic point for the redistribution of equipment in the region,” said Max Florez, general director of ports and auxiliary maritime industries.

