APM Terminals and Terminal Investment have been tagged to temporarily operate two disputed ports at either end of the Panama Canal, after the Panamanian government annulled contracts held by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison.

Panama ordered the Panama Maritime Authority to seize the ports on February 23. Not long after that, it selected Maersk's APM Terminals unit to operate the Balboa port on the Pacific side of the canal for the next 18 months, CNBC reports. Mediterranean Shipping Co. unit, Terminal Investment, will operate the Cristobal port on the opposite side of the canal for that same period, as part of a temporary arrangement aimed at maintaining uninterrupted vessel traffic, as Panama takes bids for new permanent contracts.

The move follows a ruling by the Supreme Court of Panama that invalidated CK Hutchison’s long-standing concession agreements. In the months leading up to that decision, U.S. President Donald Trump had voiced frequent concerns over CK Hutchison's ties to China, claiming that Beijing-linked influence at the Panama Canal posed a potential national security risk to U.S. trade. By installing APM Terminals and Terminal Investment on an interim basis, Panamanian officials are hoping to reassure carriers and shippers that operations will remain stable while a longer-term concession process unfolds.

In the meantime, CK Hutchison has labeled the seizure as "unlawful," and has said that it plans to take legal action to challenge the Supreme Court's ruling and Panama's subsequent takeover of the ports. China has also ordered state-owned firms to cease talks over new projects in Panama, and has urged shipping companies to reroute cargo to other ports.