US Could Emerge as Major New Energy Supplier to Asia via Panama Canal

Amid Middle East tensions, the US may become a key energy supplier to Asia, using the Panama Canal as its main route

A New Player Enters the Energy Game

The United States could become a major new supplier of energy to Asia. This shift comes amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Boris Moreno, the Panama Canal’s vice president of operations, shared this view in an interview with RIA Novosti.

He explained that shipping routes have already started shifting. “We have seen a restructuring of logistics routes, and now the United States, thanks to (energy) production that is shipped from the Gulf of Mexico, may have become a new major player in energy supplies to Asia. And all of this will pass through the canal,” Moreno said.

Tracing the Shift Back to Late February

According to Moreno, this restructuring of supply chains began around late February or early March. The change mainly affected energy transport routes. After the Strait of Hormuz closed, countries dependent on Gulf nations grew anxious about future supplies. They started searching for alternative sources, and the Gulf of Mexico became one option, Moreno noted.

He described how ship traffic surged toward the Gulf of Mexico during this period. “This flow of ships heading to the Gulf of Mexico for goods, and then returning, especially from Asia, is the very flow we observed in March, and even more in April and May. But by the end of May, we began to see normalization of the flow, a return to the usual level that existed before the Middle East conflict,” Moreno said.

Daily Vessel Numbers Tell the Story

Moreno shared specific figures showing how traffic patterns changed. On average, 33 to 34 vessels pass through the canal daily. In March, more than 37 ships crossed the locks each day. April saw an average of over 38 ships daily, a peak for the period. That number dropped back to 37 in May. June has settled to an average of 32 to 33 vessels passing through daily, Moreno told the agency.

Background: Conflict Disrupted Key Trade Route

The United States and Israel began striking targets inside Iran on February 28. More than 3,000 people have died as a result of the strikes. The escalation around Iran effectively halted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz by late February. This strait serves as a critical trade route, especially for oil and gas exports from Gulf nations.