US govt ships can now use Panama Canal for free, claims US State Dept; Authority denies changes

Feb 06, 2025

The US State Dept on Feb 5 claimed that Panama has agreed to eliminate fees for US govt vessels transiting the Panama Canal. It further said the decision would save the United States Government millions of dollars each year. The US State Dept shared a post on X, claiming ‘US Govt vessels can now transit the Panama Canal for free’. However, the Panama Canal Authority said on Wednesday that it had not made any changes to charges or rights to cross the Canal. Panama is “Willing to establish a dialogue with relevant US officials regarding the transit of wartime vessels”. Earlier, President Donald Trump threatened to take control of the Panama Canal. President Trump also accused Panama of charging excessive rates on US ships passing through the Canal. Recently, Rubio had cautioned Panama about China's influence and control over the Panama Canal. Rubio made it clear that the current situation is "unacceptable" and the US will take necessary measures