Panama Canal Authority Increases Ship Booking Slots & Maximum Allowable Draft As Water Levels Improve

The Panama Canal Authority (abbreviated as ACP) announced a rise in booking slots for Panamax locks starting in mid-May in response to the current and estimated water levels in Gatun Lake.

After a massive drought in 2023, the Panama Canal Authority had to regulate the waterway’s capacity by lowering the number of daily vessel transits and the maximum draft.

Further evidence is also there that Central America’s worst phase of the El Nino drought is now over.

The news came yesterday with an advisory from the ACP announcing the slot increase.

With the dry season nearing an end, the ACP has been relaxing the earlier restrictions and increasing daily transits from 24 to 27 as of 25 March.

Following the new schedule, 24 vessels will sail daily from 7 May to 15 May, owing to scheduled maintenance.

From 16 May, the number will increase to 31 daily in the Panamax (original) and Neopanamax (new) locks.

Besides, an extra slot will be opened in the Neopanamax locks from 1 June, with crossings likely to remain at 32 a day until further notice.

The ACP desires to increase the maximum authorized draft for vessels sailing in the Neopanamax locks to 45 feet from 15 June, an improvement from the current 44 feet.

The decision comes amid hope that the rainy season will kick in by late April and last several months owing to the weakening El Nino and the shift to La Nina this summer.

Assuming the forecast is accurate, the ACP plans to lift transit restrictions and normalize operations by next year.

This will help enable 36 daily transits and a max draft of 50 feet.

The ACP has been addressing water issues by developing a water management system and exploring solutions outside the Panama Canal Watershed.

Besides, a proposal was shared with the Panamanian government to redefine the canal watershed and withdraw constraints on constructing a new reservoir.

In the meantime, the ACP has also started implementing water-saving tactics and short-term plans to optimize water use.

Reference: Panama Canal Authority

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