The shipping company has become a partner of the Port of Corozal. Experts agreed that this new development will strengthen Panama’s relevance in the global logistics and maritime sector.
With the acquisition of APM Terminals, a division of the shipping giant Maersk, a new logistics era is on the horizon. APM Terminals purchased shares of the Panama-Colón Railway to manage the Panama-Colón railroad.
Although the transaction amount was not disclosed, this acquisition strengthens Maersk’s logistics infrastructure in the country and expands its capacity to offer integrated transportation solutions in the region.
Reactions within Panama’s maritime and logistics sector were swift. Experts consulted agreed that this move will further elevate Panama’s significance on the global stage.
José Digeronimo, president of the Panama Maritime Chamber (CMP), commented that Maersk is one of the world’s leading shipping companies. “This is a major investment for the company, especially since a few years ago, they moved part of their transshipment operations to Moín Island in Costa Rica, a port operation managed by APM Terminals,” he said.
However, he added, “The fact that they are acquiring the Panama-Colón Railway sends a message of confidence and continuity in using Panama’s transshipment system.”
International lawyer and maritime law expert Francisco Carreira stated, “Maersk acquired 90% of the shares because they were already the main client of the Panama-Colón Railway. Now, the company is simply securing service, value, and cargo by purchasing the Panama Canal Railway.”
Meanwhile, Daniel Izasa, president of the Logistics Business Council (COEL), hopes this transaction will begin many future investments in Panama’s logistics sector.
“They have a track record of global logistics and port operations investments. With the addition of the Panama-Colón Railway and shipping lines, Panama has become more competitive in terms of service. This will push other shipping companies and ports to improve and offer better services,” Izasa noted.
Given the route’s economic value, experts believe the transaction had likely been under discussion for months.
Trade
With the purchase of the shares, Carreira emphasized that the key is ensuring competition with other shipping companies remains unaffected and pricing remains fair for all users.
Digeronimo stated that the handling of the operational transfer remains to be seen, but he does not anticipate significant effects or consequences for Panama’s logistics system.
The COEL president concurred with the CMP president, explaining that the transaction was simply about acquiring the company’s shares, so no changes that would affect the Panama-Colón Railway’s operations are expected.
“The railway should continue to function as usual because this is a transaction similar to what we’ve seen with port acquisitions,” he said.
Nevertheless, Izasa clarified that Maersk remains the Panama-Colón Railway’s largest customer. The shipping line could benefit from cost management strategies or private initiatives, such as acquiring shares.
If investment follows, it could encourage growth, improved connectivity, and the movement of more containers, considering the dynamic state of the global market.
With this new scenario, the COEL president reiterated, “Panama plays a crucial role in this evolving logistics game. They will want to invest further to increase the railway’s capacity. “
Operations
The Panama-Colón Railway connects Balboa and Colón, with trains operating continuously between the Atlantic and Pacific intermodal terminals. It runs up to 10 trains in each direction every 24 hours, potentially increasing to 32 daily trips.
Its handling capacity is estimated at around 500,000 containers per year. However, the company plans to increase this in phases of approximately 250,000 annual movements to reach a maximum capacity of two million TEUs per year.
Thanks to this railway, Panama is the only place in the world where containers can be moved from the Atlantic to the Pacific within a customs-controlled corridor in under four hours.
Multinational Presence
Maersk is a global integrated logistics company specializing in supply chain solutions and maritime transport. It operates in more than 135 countries.
The company is known for its fleet of container ships. In Panama, Maersk maintains offices and is one of the 185 companies established under the country’s Multinational Headquarters (SEM) regime.
The collaboration between Maersk and Panama dates back to 1917, when the company’s vessels began transiting the Panama Canal. This relationship was cemented with the first scheduled line transit in 1928 and the first container ship transit in 1975.
Maersk handles approximately 35% of Panama’s import and export volumes today.
Meeting
At the beginning of 2025, A.P. Moller—Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc met with the President of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, to discuss strategies that would allow Maersk to continue supporting Panama’s objectives of strengthening trade competitiveness and modernizing its port and logistics infrastructure.
During the meeting—held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos—President Mulino and Clerc explored opportunities to advance sustainable port operations, leverage Panama’s strategic location to improve global connectivity, and deliver innovative supply chain solutions aligned with the country’s development priorities.
Experts believe this meeting may have initiated or solidified the shipping company’s negotiations to acquire the Panama-Colón Railway.
“It likely had some connection. These are major acquisitions that require extensive due diligence. This isn’t something APM Terminals decided to do overnight,” said the CMP president.
The international lawyer and maritime law expert also believes the meeting in Davos may have been related to the start of negotiations.