Panama Canal Authority (ACP) News
The container ship MSC MARIE transited through the Panama Canal marking a milestone by becoming the largest capacity Neopanamax to cross the interoceanic route. MSC MARIE With a length of 366 metres (1,200 feet) and a width of 51 metres (167.4 feet), the MSC MARIE boasts a maximum capacity of 17,640 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units), setting a new record. This achievement surpasses the previous record held by the EVER MAX vessel, which made the transit at a capacity of 17,312 TEUs du...
The Panama Canal announced through an Advisory to Shipping, that effective immediately, the maximum authorised draft allowed for vessels transiting the Neopanamax Locks will be 49.0 feet (14.94 m), based on the present and projected level of Gatun Lake for the upcoming weeks. Reliability of transit service The Panama Canal had to adapt its operations because of the prolonged drought resulting from the climatic variations that affected the levels of the Gatun and Alhajuela Lakes. Despite this...
The Panama Canal announced through an Advisory to Shipping, the introduction of a Long-Term Slot Allocation (LoTSA) Method for Neopanamax vessels, as part of the Transit Booking System, to increase transit certainty and flexibility for our clients. Currently, the slot offering in the Transit Booking System is done daily with an anticipation period before the required transit date. Transit booking slots Through this method, several transit booking slot packages corresponding to January of th...
The Panama Canal celebrated the eighth anniversary of its expansion program by announcing an increase to its draft and daily transits, all while continuing to manage the impact of climate variability and the challenge of securing water for the future. Through an Advisory to Shipping, the Panama Canal announced that the maximum authorised draft was raised today from 46 to 47 feet (14.33 metres), and will increase to 48 feet (14.063 metres) on July 11. Additionally, a new booking slot for the Neo...
The prolonged dry season is a natural phenomenon that affects many regions, including the Panama Canal. While there can be no control over nature, businesses can adapt their operations to ensure a competitive flow of vessels. Adaptative approach In line with Panama Canal Authority’s commitment to providing a reliable and sustainable service, they have chosen to extend booking Condition 3. The standard offering of reservations comprises 23 booking slots for the Panamax locks The...
The Panama Canal Authority places great emphasis on providing world-class, reliable services to all its customers. Amidst current challenges, the authority is taking proactive measures to ensure its competitiveness and operational capacity for today and the future. Chief among these challenges is the critical issue of freshwater availability for both the population’s consumption and the transit of vessels. Water efficiency Since the previous drought in 2019-2020, the Canal has been im...