Panama Canal ports court showdown could sink CK Hutchison’s $23bn BlackRock-MSC deal
Panama’s Supreme Court is set to deliver a ruling soon on lawsuits aiming to cancel CK Hutchison’s licence for two ports at the Panama Canal’s Atlantic and Pacific gateways. The decision threatens to upend the group’s $23 billion ports sale to a consortium led by BlackRock and Mediterranean Shipping Co. Plaintiffs reference audits claiming the state lost up to $1.3 billion under the 2021 concession renewal. Officials say they have backup plans, noting roughly 5% of global trade flows through the canal.