APM Terminals, part of the Maersk group, has acquired the Panama Canal Railway Company, marking the company’s first direct move into railroad operations and reinforcing its broader focus on intermodal logistics. The acquisition reflects Maersk’s strategy of strengthening cargo connectivity across key trade corridors through integrated transport solutions.

According to the report, the 47-mile railway was purchased from Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Lanco Group. While the purchase price was not disclosed, the railway is said to generate around $77 million in annual revenue and approximately $36 million in EBITDA. The line also operates passenger service between Colón and Panama City.

The railway, which was rehabilitated in the early 2000s, currently has the capacity to handle up to 500,000 container moves annually, with longer-term plans previously targeting expansion to 2 million containers. Reports cited in the article indicate that the line currently moves roughly 300,000 containers per year, and that traffic rose by 20% in 2023–2024 as drought-related restrictions reduced vessel transits through the Panama Canal.

APM Terminals CEO Keith Svendsen described the railway as an attractive infrastructure investment aligned with the company’s core intermodal container services. The article also notes that Maersk had already worked with the railway in 2024, when it began shifting containers across the isthmus by rail during the Canal’s water-related transit constraints. This allowed cargo to move between oceans even when some vessels could not complete a full Canal transit under draft restrictions.

The acquisition comes at a time of heightened strategic attention on transport assets connected to the Panama Canal, including terminals at both ends of the waterway. In that context, the railway stands out as a critical logistics asset capable of supporting cargo movement across Panama and strengthening supply chain flexibility during periods of operational disruption.