BlackRock to Buy Panama Canal Ports from Hong Kong Firm

The timing aligns with Washington’s growing scrutiny of Chinese-controlled infrastructure along global trade routes.

A cargo ship goes through the Panama Canal's Cocoli locks in Panama City on Feb. 21, 2025. Matias Delacroix/AP Photo

A BlackRock-led consortium has reached an agreement to acquire two critical port operations in the Panama Canal from Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd.

The deal, announced on March 4, comes as President Donald Trump has openly expressed his concerns over Chinese influence in the region and his desire for the United States to regain control of the Panama Canal.