Move comes hours before visit by Pete Hegseth as US raises pressure over Chinese influence on waterway
Deal worth $22.8bn involves sale of bulk of those owned by Hong Kong-based conglomerate CK Hutchison
President escalates dispute with Trump administration over strategic waterway
US president-elect also vows to rename Gulf of Mexico as ‘Gulf of America’ and to impose tariffs on allies
President-elect says he would demand vital waterway be ‘returned’ to US if it is not operated to his liking
Annual rainfall in 2023 was down by about a quarter compared to normal levels, researchers said
Geopolitical risk and climate change highlight the need for resilience in core supply routes
Move will affect an important route for global trade
Upgrade to vital waterway may be required to cope with impact of more extreme weather
Gates swing open to bigger ships riding out capacity storm in container sector
Panama Canal, energy and mining are all big draws
Newly parsimonious shoppers are having an impact on container trade, Panama Canal chief warns
Chinese companies bet on expanding trade routes through Panama and Nicaragua
50 per cent cost escalation is much more than the norm
Contractors led by Spain’s Sacyr rejected the offer as too low
