FMC ‘monitoring’ recent detention of Panama-flag ships at Chinese ports
Agency Chairman Laura DiBella said the “intensified inspections” of the vessels appear to be retaliation for Panama canceling the port concessions held at Balboa and Cristóbal by a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Hutchison.
The US Federal Maritime Commission is “closely monitoring” an apparent “surge” in detentions of Panama-flagged ships by Chinese port authorities and the effect it could have on US container trade, according to the agency’s chairman.
美国联邦海事委员会主席表示，美国联邦海事委员会正在“密切关注”中国港务当局扣押巴拿马旗船只数量的“激增”，以及这对美国集装箱贸易可能产生的影响。
Laura DiBella says the moves appear to be retaliation for the Panamanian Supreme Court recently nullifying the operating concessions at Panama’s Balboa and Cristóbal ports that were held for 28 years by Panama Ports Company (PPC), which is 90% owned by Hong Kong-based conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings.
劳拉·迪贝拉表示，这些举措似乎是对巴拿马最高法院最近宣布废除巴拿马巴尔博亚和克里斯托巴尔港口运营特许权的报复，这些特许权由巴拿马港口公司（PPC）持有，该公司90%的股份由香港集团CK和记控股持有。
China’s Cosco Shipping Lines earlier this month halted calls at Balboa (pictured) and instead is redirecting its services to Manzanillo on the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal. Photo credit: Mariusz Bugno / Shutterstock.com.
中国的中远航运公司本月早些时候停止了巴尔博亚（如图）的航线，转而将其服务转向巴拿马运河大西洋一侧的曼萨尼约。