CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd., a Hong Kong conglomerate, has launched international arbitration proceedings against Panama. The company is seeking more than $1.5 billion in damages for the loss and destruction of its investments in the Central American nation.
The dispute centers on two strategically important ports located at the ends of the Panama Canal. CK Hutchison claims the country seized these ports, which have become caught up in tensions between the United States and China.
The company further alleges that Panama breached an investment protection treaty through measures taken in 2025 and 2026.