The Panama Canal has become a new focal point of geopolitical tension as traffic rises amid disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran war. The 80-kilometre waterway links the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and is strategically important for global trade. The United States has warned that growing Chinese influence around the canal could threaten trade and security, while China rejects the claim. Panama has reaffirmed its sovereignty and said the canal will remain permanently neutral.
According to the Baltic and International Maritime Council, average daily canal traffic reached 38 vessels by the end of May, up 8 percent from a year earlier and near capacity. In the five weeks after the Iran war began, transits rose 16 percent year on year. Higher demand has lengthened waiting times, intensified competition for booking slots and raised payments for priority passage.
Environmental constraints are also limiting operations. Water levels in Gatun Lake remain below historical averages, and the Panama Canal Authority will reduce permitted daily crossings from 36 to 32 starting September 15, 2026. Panama's Supreme Court earlier ruled the legal framework for CK Hutchison's port concession unconstitutional, further heightening disputes over Chinese-linked port operations near the canal.
বিবিসি বাংলা প্রকাশ : ২৪ আগস্ট ২০২৬, ১০: ৩৮আপডেট : ২৪ আগস্ট ২০২৬, ১০: ৩৯ ইরান যুদ্ধের কারণে হরমুজ প্রণালি দিয়ে জাহাজ চলাচল যেমন বাধাগ্রস্ত হয়েই চলেছে, এর মধ্যেই হাজার হাজার মাইল দূরে অবস্থিত পানামা খালও নতুন এক উত্তেজনার কেন্দ্রে পরিণত হয়েছে। বিশ্বে
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