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Hard number: Iran war elevates Panama Canal costs

Hard number: Iran war elevates Panama Canal costs
Natalie Johnson
Natalie Johnson
By Natalie JohnsonApril 23, 2026
Natalie Johnson

Natalie Johnson is the Deputy Head of Content at GZERO Media and edits the GZERO Daily newsletter. Her career has spanned producing for broadcast cable news at outlets like MSNBC, VICE TV, and NewsNation, as well as writing for digital media. She's also the creator and co-editor of an anthology called "Black Love Letters," published in 2023 through John Legend's GetLifted book imprint. Natalie studied political science at Scripps College and holds a master's degree in sociology from Columbia University.

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Costs for ships to pass through the Panama Canal have hit record highs as the Iran war imperils global oil shipping. According to data from Argus Media, daily auctions to cross the waterway have drawn five times as many bids than prior to the conflict. There’s also been a surge of US oil and fuel shipments through the canal, primarily coming from the Gulf Coast.

energy crisisunited statesus-canadaenergy pricesiran warlatin america-caribbeanenergypanama canal

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