PANAMAX 2024 Launches in Grand Style at Naval Station Mayport

The U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) is sponsoring Exercise PANAMAX 2024, a significant training event aimed at enhancing the ability of various nations to plan and conduct complex multinational operations.

Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet, remarked, “Since its inception in 2003, PANAMAX has evolved into one of the largest biennial multinational exercises globally. We have around 300 personnel here, but over a thousand uniformed participants are involved across different locations.”

Sardiello emphasized the strategic importance of the Panama Canal, noting, “The canal is a critical infrastructure, facilitating over 500 million tons of goods annually, representing three percent of global maritime trade. Any instability near the canal impacts not just military and security but also has far-reaching economic consequences.”

PANAMAX started with Chile, Panama, and the United States, focusing initially on the Panama Canal’s maritime security. Over the years, it has expanded into the region’s largest coalition Command Post Exercise to ensure the canal’s defense.

About 300 personnel, including Sailors, Marines, and public security forces, will work under Brazilian Navy Rear Adm. Jorge Jose De Moraes Rulff’s leadership.

Adm. Rulff highlighted the exercise’s collaborative nature, stating, “Representing 16 countries, we aim to solve problems together and fortify our partnerships. We will respond to the Panamanian government’s requests to protect canal traffic, ensure its neutrality, and respect sovereignty while cooperating to fulfill our mission.”

The exercise, grounded in a fictitious United Nations Security Council Resolution, offers stability operations training, promoting interoperability among the multinational staffs and enhancing their capacity for intricate operations.

The simulated training scenarios of PANAMAX tackle vital aspects of multinational and combined operations such as technology standardization and joint operating procedures, maximizing the training opportunities.

Adm. Sardiello lauded the exercise’s benefits, saying, “PANAMAX helps us nurture lasting relationships with our partners, forming invaluable bonds that will support us throughout our military careers.”

U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, the host of PANAMAX 2024, plays a pivotal role in joint and combined military operations, fostering maritime security and interoperability to promote regional stability and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central, and South American regions.