A BlackRock-led consortium has reached an agreement to acquire two critical port operations in the Panama Canal from Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd.
The deal, announced on March 4, comes as President Donald Trump has openly expressed his concerns over Chinese influence in the region and his desire for the United States to regain control of the Panama Canal.
BlackRock, along with Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) and Terminal Investment Ltd., have reached an agreement with CK Hutchison to purchase 90 percent of Panama Ports Company, which owns and operates the Balboa and Cristobal ports—the two main maritime gateways at the Panama Canal’s Pacific and Atlantic entrances….