The Panama Canal and the United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) have entered into a cyber cooperation arrangement to reinforce digital security and ensure the operational continuity of critical infrastructure in the face of emerging cyber threats.
This arrangement establishes a collaborative framework to enhance capabilities in key areas such as cybersecurity training, supply chain security, information sharing and technical assistance.
USSOUTHCOM, responsible for security operations across a region encompassing 31 countries, will collaborate with the Panama Canal to optimise joint cybersecurity efforts. This arrangement facilitates the exchange of knowledge and best practices, building on a longstanding history of cooperation between the two entities.
The initiative does not replace existing agreements, but rather complements them, leaving room for future alliances with other organisations in this vital field. Additionally, this effort strengthens the existing collaboration between the Panama Canal and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of the US Department of Homeland Security, signed in January 2022.
Ricaurte Vásquez Morales, administrator of the Panama Canal, emphasised that this agreement bolstered the waterway’s operational resilience in an ever-evolving digital landscape, underscoring its commitment to security, innovation and efficiency in managing strategic operations.
