MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Panama Canal ups vessel draft to 50 feet

The news reflects the Canal's commitment to return to normal operating conditions, the ACP said in a statement

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has sent a notice to shipping lines announcing that the maximum draught for vessels passing through the Neopanamax locks between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans has been increased to 50 feet (15.24 meters). The ACP explained this decision was made in light of the current and projected water levels in Lake Gatun for the coming weeks.

The ACP also announced an additional transit quota for the Panamax locks, the waterway's oldest, starting next Sept. 1, for 36 daily slots: 10 for neopanamax vessels and 26 for panamax vessels.

According to the ACP, the news reflects the Canal's commitment to return to normal operating conditions and maintain a safe, reliable, and efficient service following recent capacity adjustments due to the prolonged drought caused by climatic variations that caused a severe water crisis in 2023, affecting the levels of the Gatun and Alhajuela man-made lakes.

Currently, 35 ships pass through daily, 25 of them through the old locks and 10 through the expansion built in 2016, which allows the passage of ships with up to three times the cargo of the original panamax.

Thursday also marked the 110th anniversary of the first crossing of the canal by the Ancon steamship. The structure, which connects more than 1,900 ports in 170 countries, accounts for 6% of the world's seaborne trade. Its main users are the United States, China, Japan, and South Korea.