APM Terminals, a subsidiary of Danish shipping company Maersk, has acquired the Panama Canal Railway Company. It operates a single-track line alongside the Panama Canal.
The railway stretches 46 kilometres between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is mainly used for freight traffic. In 2024, the Panama Canal Railway generated a revenue of 77 million US dollars and 36 million in EBITDA. With the acquisition of the Panama Canal railway, APM Terminals is taking over from Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited and the Lanco Group/Mi‑Jack.
“The Panama Canal Railway Company represents an attractive infrastructure investment in the region aligned to our core services of intermodal container movement,” said Keith Svendsen, CEO of APM Terminals. “The company is highly regarded for its operational excellence and will provide a significant opportunity for us to offer a broader range of services to the global shipping customers we serve.”
Focus on US, Canada, Mexico
For seller Canadian Pacific Kansas City, the sale allows for an improvement of its business strategy. “The sale of this non-core asset creates value for our shareholders and reflects our commitment to optimise our assets as we focus on growing our core North American rail business through our unrivalled three-nation network connecting Canada, the United States and Mexico”, the company’s President and CEO Keith Creel explained.