CK Hutchison Holdings has begun international arbitration proceedings against Panama, seeking more than $1.5bn in damages over the loss of its port investments in the country.
The Hong Kong-based conglomerate said it filed the claim after attempts to resolve the dispute with Panamanian authorities were unsuccessful.
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The company said the action follows a series of measures taken by Panama during 2025 and 2026, which culminated in the termination of the concession contract for the ports of Balboa and Cristóbal and the government’s takeover of the port terminals.
CK Hutchison alleges that Panama’s actions breach an investment protection treaty, and it is seeking damages exceeding $1.5bn for what it describes as the “destruction of the company’s investments in Panama”.
The company’s subsidiary, Panama Ports Company, will continue to pursue a separate arbitration claim under the concession contract itself, filed through the International Chamber of Commerce and first announced on 4 February 2026.
That process is distinct from the treaty-based arbitration announced today (20 August).
CK Hutchison’s board said it “strongly disagrees with the measures taken by Panama in violation of the treaty” and confirmed the company will continue to seek a resolution with Panama while pursuing all rights and remedies available under the treaty and international law.
The company has advised shareholders and potential investors to exercise caution when dealing in its shares and other securities.
In January this year, the Supreme Court in Panama ruled that the terms under which CK Hutchison was granted a 25-year concession renewal to run two ports on either side of the Panama Canal were unconstitutional.
That decision came after a year-long saga that began in January 2025, when the Panamanian government launched an audit of CK Hutchison.
The audit appeared to be a response to comments from US President Donald Trump warning that CK Hutchison’s ties to China presented a national security threat.
The audit found $1.3bn in federal revenue losses since CK Hutchison began operating the ports in the late 1990s, prompting a lawsuit against the company from the country’s comptroller general.
