All Nippon Airways is examining a potential new shipping and logistics route through Panama that could establish a direct link between Asia and Latin America. The initiative aligns with ongoing geopolitical shifts in the region, where China has pursued alternative corridors to the Panama Canal amid U.S. pressures.
The Panama Canal remains a critical artery for global trade, handling significant volumes of cargo from Asia to the Americas. However, recent developments, including Panama’s exit from China’s Belt and Road Initiative and U.S. efforts to limit Chinese influence, have prompted exploration of complementary routes. The Canal Authority is advancing a 77-kilometer gas pipeline project set to begin construction in 2027, aimed at transporting propane, butane, and ethane from the U.S. East Coast to markets in China, Japan, and South Korea. Estimated costs range from $2 billion to $8 billion, with capacity for 2 million barrels per day.
ANA’s interest reflects broader aviation and logistics strategies to optimize Asia-Latin America connectivity. Competing proposals include China’s planned dry canal in Colombia linking Buenaventura on the Pacific to Atlantic shores via railway, and the Central Bi-Oceanic Railway Corridor through Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay. These multimillion-kilometer projects seek to bypass potential Canal restrictions, though they face challenges in length and cost compared to Panama’s 76.6-kilometer railway.
Mexico’s Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec offers another Pacific-Atlantic option via rail and ports, designed to alleviate Canal congestion. As trade tensions escalate, such routes could reshape cargo flows, benefiting airlines like ANA in cargo operations.