The Panama Canal Authority will increase the number of daily Neopanamax-lock transits to 10 beginning Oct. 15, lifting total daily capacity across the Neopanamax and Panamax locks to 33 slots as water conditions improve, the authority said Tuesday.
The increase is based on present and projected Gatun Lake levels, following near-average rainfall in the canal watershed and water-conservation measures at the locks.
The authority also said, effective immediately, it has restored the maximum authorized draft for Neopanamax vessels to 49 feet.
The new allocation marks the Canal’s most recent easing of drought-related operating restrictions. The authority previously reduced daily transit capacity and imposed draft limits as a prolonged water shortage lowered Gatun Lake, the principal reservoir supplying water to the locks.
The change matters for ports such as New York-New Jersey, Norfolk, Savannah, Charleston, Miami, Houston and New Orleans, where delayed canal passages can cascade into late berth arrivals, disrupted rail connections, chassis imbalances and unpredictable terminal workloads. The prior cuts reduced total daily capacity to as few as 32 ships in mid-September.
The immediate draft increase lets ships carry more cargo through the canal. A 10,000-TEU containership can lose roughly 450 TEUs of carrying capacity for every foot of draft restriction, according to one industry estimate.
Despite the added capacity and deeper draft allowance, the authority said the watershed remains in deficit and cautioned that its transit reservation, or booking, system is still the only means of guaranteeing a crossing date. Vessels arriving without a reservation could face indefinite delays.
Read more articles by Stuart Chirls here.
Read more:
Suez return speeds up Savannah India service by 10-14 days
No mention of U.S.-China ship taxes in trade truce
Hapag-Lloyd revises Zim offer as Israeli approval concerns persist
Brokerage Compliance Symposium
The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.
F3 Awards Dinner
The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.
F3: Future of Freight Festival
Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.
The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register NowThe night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register NowIndustry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now