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Balboa
Panama
PABLB
No Data
K+N Status
AIS limited in region
K+N24 Mar 2026
Updated 16m ago

Port Intelligence — What freight teams need to know

Balboa sits at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. Maintained more stable berthing times than Colón during the drought (Pacific side less affected). Same canal transit dependency risk. PSA operates the terminal.

No K+N update for this port yet

Weekly reports are loaded every Monday. Check back soon.

Customs Reality at Balboa
7d
Published free time
5d
Effective free time

Same Panamanian framework as Colón.

Demurrage: $22/TEU/day · Detention: $14/TEU/day

Common Rejection Reasons

  • Same as Colón
Cold Chain Reality at Balboa
Mitigation:Same as Colón.
Failure point:Canal queue
Significance:Moderate — transhipment and Pacific-side cargo
Primary failure mode:Canal transit delays (same as Colón but Pacific side)
Reefer plug availability:Adequate
Alternative Ports to Balboa

If disruption makes Balboa unviable for your cargo

ColónPAMIT
Save $0/TEU
50 nm away+0h wait
Works for: Atlantic-side routing.
Not for: Pacific-bound cargo without canal transit.

Cargo Intelligence Platform

Know exactly what's happening to your cargo — before it becomes a problem.

CargoPilot applies deep AI analysis to every shipment moving through Balboa — surfacing risks, customs traps, and delay patterns your freight team would otherwise miss.

  • AI-powered risk analysis on every shipment
  • Port disruption alerts delivered before they hit
  • Customs, demurrage & detention intelligence

First 3 shipments free. No credit card required.

Live AIS Vessels

AIS coverage limited at this port. The free AIS tier has restricted coverage in some regions, particularly mainland China ports and parts of the Middle East.

Money Traps at Balboa
Canal slot premiums
Same as Colón.
Book canal slots early.
Seasonal Patterns
Jan-Apr (Dry season)
Same canal drought risk as Colón.
Same mitigation.

Sources

Port status: Kuehne+Nagel Port Operational Update

Port intelligence: CargoPilot curated research

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