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Panama Canal begins to take transit reservations for expanded canal

The Panama Canal said it began accepting transit reservations for neo-Panamax vessels for commercial transits through the expanded canal starting on 27 June 2016.

Michele Labrut, Americas Correspondent

April 19, 2016

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In light of the upcoming expansion inauguration date, the Panama Canal will offer four additional slots per day for neo-Panamax vessels, in addition to the existing 25 slots of the current Canal.

The first reservation was granted to a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker Linden Pride of Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK Line), represented by shipping agent Norton Lilly International (Panama), S.A. The vessel has a length of 754.59 feet and beam of 120.08 feet.

The inaugural transit on 26 June will be chosen through a draw that will take place on 29 April among the top customers. That will be the first commercial transit because it will pay tolls associated with transit, and the only one that day.

The slots were allocated using the current booking rules, based on customer ranking and other tie-breaker criteria during the competition period- and on a first-come, first-served basis- after the competition had closed. The competition started at 9 am Monday 18 April.

It “marks an important day in canal history because the reservation system is now opened for neo-Panamax ships that will start using the new lane starting 27 June,” Panama Canal administrator Jorge L. Quijano said in an ACP statement. “We are pleased with the results of this initial phase of transit reservations and we hope that each day more vessels transit through the expanded canal.”

Once the first period of competition closed, 25 neo-Panamax vessels had reserved transit through the new locks. This initial phase of transit reservations corresponds to transit dates between 27 June 2016 and 30 September 2016.

About the Author

Michele Labrut

Americas Correspondent

Michèle Labrut is a long-time Panama resident, a journalist and correspondent, and has continuously covered the maritime sector of Central & Latin America.

Michèle first came to Panama as a press attaché to the French Embassy and then returned to the isthmus as a foreign correspondent in the 1980s.

Author of Seatrade Maritime's annual Panama Maritime Review magazine and of several books, Michèle also wrote for Time magazine, The Miami Herald, NBC News and the Economist Intelligence Unit. She has also collaborated in making several documentaries for the BBC and European and U.S. television networks.

Michèle's profession necessitates a profound knowledge of the country, but her acumen is not from necessity alone, but a genuine passion for Panama.

In 2012 she was awarded the Order of Merit (Knight grade) by the French Government for her services to international journalism and in 2021 the upgrade to Chevalier grade.

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