A partner nation service member boards a U.S. Coast Guard Transportable Port Security Boat (TPSB) with the Bridge of the Americas spanning the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal in the background at Panama City, Aug. 3, 2026. PANAMAX brings together maritime security personnel from Panama, Mexico, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic to strengthen interoperability, enhance maritime operational capabilities and improve regional readiness in support of maritime security and peace through strength. PANAMAX 2026 scenarios help the defense and public security forces of participating nations improve interoperability, hone their skills during scenarios involving coalition and all-domain operations, forge strong cooperative partnerships, and demonstrate their collective capacity to respond to and deter threats to the region and its critical waterways. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by PA1 Crystal Burgess)