17 June 2026 · 6 photos
UN Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan visits the Panama Canal
While visiting the Panama Canal on 18 and 19 May 2024, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan saw first-hand the increasing impacts of climate change on operations.
This exacerbates existing geopolitical challenges that are straining global trade and supply chains. Notably, these include ongoing disruptions in the Black Sea linked to the war in Ukraine, and recent attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea.
The Panama Canal is a critical global trade route linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and confronting low water levels, due to below-normal rainfall driven by the climate phenomenon “El Niño”.
Earlier analysis by UN Trade and Development estimated that total transits through the canal plummeted by 49% in January and 42% by April 2024, compared to the peak in December 2021. Find out more: unctad.org/news/un-trade-and-development-chief-visits-pan...
Photo credit: UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
6 photos
UN Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan visits the Panama Canal 6
UN Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan visits the Panama Canal 6
UN Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan, wearing a hard hat and high-visibility vest, walks with two colleagues through a bustling container terminal. A massive container ship, the "MSC MARUTO," fully loaded with colorful stacked cargo containers, is docked prominently in the background. Towering green gantry cranes, essential for loading and unloading, frame the scene, emphasizing the scale of global maritime trade at the Panama Canal. un-trade-and-development-secretary-general-rebeca-grynspan-visits-the-panama-canal_53817680195_o.jpg
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UN Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan visits the Panama Canal 5
UN Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan visits the Panama Canal 5
UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan, wearing a white hard hat and reflective safety vest, is seen ascending a steep green metal staircase at a port facility. She is accompanied by another person in similar safety gear, against a backdrop of massive green industrial machinery featuring yellow and black hazard stripes. This visit to the Panama Canal highlights UNCTAD's engagement with crucial global trade infrastructure and logistics. un-trade-and-development-secretary-general-rebeca-grynspan-visits-the-panama-canal_53817485383_o.jpg
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UN Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan visits the Panama Canal 4
UN Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan visits the Panama Canal 4
UN Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan walks along a walkway of a massive green gantry crane structure at the Panama Canal. She wears a white hard hat with the "PSA Panama" logo and a bright yellow high-visibility vest, smiling towards the camera. In the background, stacks of colorful shipping containers indicate a bustling container terminal, underscoring the critical role of maritime trade infrastructure. This visit highlights UNCTAD's engagement with global trade and logistics operations. un-trade-and-development-secretary-general-rebeca-grynspan-visits-the-panama-canal_53817575194_o.jpg
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UN Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan visits the Panama Canal 3
UN Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan visits the Panama Canal 3
UN Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan observes operations at a modern control center during her visit to the Panama Canal. She stands alongside a Panama Canal official, both looking intently at multiple computer screens displaying real-time data and video feeds of canal activities. A young operator diligently manages the sophisticated control equipment, highlighting the continuous oversight of this vital global trade artery. The facility features numerous monitors, specialized control input devices, and a large daily functional meeting board. un-trade-and-development-secretary-general-rebeca-grynspan-visits-the-panama-canal_53816315102_o.jpg
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UN Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan visits the Panama Canal 2
UN Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan visits the Panama Canal 2
UN Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan, wearing a hard hat and high-visibility vest, points towards the bustling port activities during her visit to the Panama Canal. She stands on an elevated platform alongside C. Piqueras, overlooking numerous container ships and massive PSA Panama terminal cranes. The image captures the vital infrastructure and operational scale of this critical global trade artery. un-trade-and-development-secretary-general-rebeca-grynspan-visits-the-panama-canal_53817485333_o.jpg
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UN Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan visits the Panama Canal 1
UN Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan visits the Panama Canal 1
UN Trade and Development Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan visits a bustling port terminal, likely near the Panama Canal, for an official engagement. Dressed in a white hard hat bearing the "PSA Panama" logo and a fluorescent yellow safety vest over a yellow blazer, she is captured speaking and gesturing with her hands. The background features large container cranes and stacks of colourful shipping containers, highlighting the critical infrastructure of global trade. un-trade-and-development-secretary-general-rebeca-grynspan-visits-the-panama-canal_53817485318_o.jpg
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