Panama hosts pre-sail conference opening ceremony at start of PANAMAX 2026 exercise

LACONA, Panama – Panama’s Servicio Nacional Aeronaval welcomed key leadership from the visiting partner nations of Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia and the United States on Aug. 3, 2026, who are participating in maritime operations in support of PANAMAX 2026, Aug. 3-13.

Six maritime vessels will be part of the Pacific Task Force during PANAMAX 2026, one of the largest military exercises in the Western Hemisphere. The U.S. Coast Guard is providing a USCG cutter. Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico are providing one ship each, and Panama is providing two ships for the exercise.

“Major prerequisites to achieving this objective include practicing our ability to transit offshore in company, to communicate effectively to each other and shore command, and to perform complex missions in an integrated manner,” said Coast Guard Cmdr. Patrick Frost, the deputy chief of enforcement from U.S. Coast Guard District Southwest.

Frost said PANAMAX 2026, which includes 19 countries in total, is critical to Panama, the United States and all the partner nations participating in the exercise because it’s extremely important to practice functions necessary to protect the canal. To facilitate this proficiency, current plans involve a wide variety of training scenarios designed to unite the coalition as they exercise joint communications, maneuvers and tactics, together.

During the ceremonial event Aug. 3 hosted by the National Aeronaval Service, Panamanian maritime officials welcomed the command teams of the four visiting ships to Panama.

“Today, in this 2026 edition of PANAMAX, we confirm our commitment to a broader and even more adapted vision of the threats that we have in the 21st century,” said Panamanian Lt. Cmdr. Eduardo Batista, acting commander of Naval Command, National Aeronaval Service. “This exercise constitutes an opportunity, with great value, to strengthen the interoperability of our forces, to improve our operational procedures, and to elevate our capacity to respond in the face of transnational threats and cyberspace challenges.”

“They are our regional partners, and they are our crucial allies in the fight against cartels across the Western Hemisphere,” Frost said. “These partner nations are clearly demonstrating a rock-solid commitment to this multinational concept, and the collaboration between the various country representatives is significant.”

The welcome ceremony formally opened the PANAMAX 2026 pre-sail conference, Aug. 3-5, for vessel captains, command cadre, and select representatives from each of the six participating ships that will be operating in the Eastern Pacific during the exercise.

The six ships are Mexican Navy offshore patrol vessel Arm Jalisco, Ecuadorian Navy missile corvette Bae Loja, Colombian Navy coastal patrol vessel Isla Gorgona, Panamanian Aeronaval service coastal patrol boat Panquiaco, Panamanian Aeronaval service coastal patrol boat Taboga, and U.S. Coast Guard cutter Robert Ward.

PANAMAX 2026 seeks to improve interoperability and strengthen collective capacity to conduct complex multinational and all-domain operations to ensure the free flow of commerce through the Panama Canal and maintain security and stability in the region.