Incoming Panama Canal Authority administrator says there are currently no plans to reduce vessel transits.

On July 7, 2026 PBOC'S PAN attended the Hong Kong Currency and Fixed Income Summit and witnessed the pilot operation of the Hong Kong Central Gold Clearing System and the launch of Shanghai–Hong Kong gold market cooperation. He and Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee also witnessed a cooperation memorandum between the Cross‑border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) and Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing. During the visit Pan met John Lee and held talks with Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan, Hong Kong Monetary Authority chief YUE MON and the CEO of the Securities and Futures Commission to exchange views on the macro‑financial outlook, deeper mainland–Hong Kong market connectivity, strengthening Hong Kong’s offshore RMB market, and measures to bolster Hong Kong’s international financial centre status.

Ship-tracking data from Kpler and LSEG show at least four oil and gas carriers abandoned transit of the Strait of Hormuz after an attack near the waterway. Earlier on Tuesday a Qatari LNG carrier and a Saudi‑flagged crude tanker were reported damaged; Iranian missiles were reported fired at vessels in the area and maritime authorities raised the threat level for transiting ships to "severe". Three QatarEnergy‑controlled LNG carriers — Al Ghariya, Duhail and Al Ruwais — were empty and reversed course late Tuesday while westbound toward the strait en route to load at Qatar's Ras Laffan export facility. Separately, an India‑flagged tanker carrying about 2.0 mln barrels of Kuwaiti crude turned back on Wednesday near the Gulf of Oman at the eastern approach to the strait.