A container ship at the Panama Canal's Cocolí locks on January 11, 2020. File photograph. Credit: David Brossard / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0. CC BY-SA 2.0. Photo source.
The Panama Canal has named Tommy Thomsen chair of its advisory board as members meet in Panama from October 26 to 28 to discuss water management, trade and the waterway's long-term strategy.
Thomsen replaces retired Admiral William J. Flanagan, the Canal Authority said in its October 26 announcement. Two new members also joined the advisory body: Óscar Hasbún Martínez of shipping company CSAV and Jean-Paul Rodrigue of Texas A&M University's Galveston campus.
The appointments concern the advisory board, which provides expertise and recommendations. They should not be confused with a change in the Canal's governing board or its executive administration.
Panama Canal advisory board agenda
The Canal Authority's announcement lists the operational water strategy in response to El Niño, revenue diversification and competitiveness among the topics for the board's 41st meeting.
Members visited the Cocolí locks and the Integrated Operations Control Center, as well as areas associated with proposed logistics initiatives. These visits are part of the meeting program, not evidence that new projects have received final approval.
Thomsen leads Lauritzen Fonden and brings experience in the maritime industry. The advisory body was established in December 1999 under the Canal's governing legal framework to contribute outside expertise to its planning.
La Prensa reported on the appointments and described the board's consultative role. Much of the available coverage follows the authority's announcement; it does not establish the outcome of discussions still scheduled through October 28.
Recent operating results provide context
The meeting follows the Canal's update on fiscal 2026 operations. The authority reported 13,951 transits for the year ending in September, a 4.1% increase over fiscal 2025.
It also reported revenue of 6.6 billion balboas, up 16.6%, while explicitly noting that the figures remained unaudited. Those figures describe the past fiscal year, not a result of this week's advisory meeting.
The same update said the Canal had restored last-minute reservation service for Panamax ships, citing water-saving measures and recent rainfall.
Together, the operating update and meeting agenda show why water availability and commercial planning are being discussed alongside the appointments. The Canal announcement does not report final recommendations from the meeting, and no new binding decision is established by the material reviewed.