Panama Ports Company (PPC), CK Hutchison’s Panama unit, has launched arbitration proceedings in London against Maersk, accusing the Danish shipping group of helping Panama push it out of one of the terminals at the centre of the canal ports dispute. PPC says the case is separate from its existing arbitration against the Panamanian state.
According to PPC, the claim is based on a long-term contract under which Maersk was supposed to use PPC’s terminal services and have access to related facilities and operational information. Instead, the company alleges, Maersk aligned with the Panamanian authorities during the process that removed PPC from the Balboa terminal and replaced it with a Maersk-affiliated operator.
The arbitration will take place in London. PPC said the Maersk case is “distinct from and without prejudice to” its separate legal action against Panama, where the company has already expanded its damages claim to more than $2 billion.
Maersk has rejected the accusations. Reuters reported that the group said it does not believe it is liable for the claims and will address the matter through the appropriate legal process.
The wider dispute began after Panama’s Supreme Court ruled in late January that the legal framework behind PPC’s concession was unconstitutional. Panama later handed temporary control of the Balboa terminal to APM Terminals, Maersk’s ports arm, while MSC-linked TIL took over Cristóbal.
