Panama Canal sees record LNG transits and tonnagePanama Canal sees record LNG transits and tonnage

 In January, a total of 58 LNG vessels transited through the neo-panamax locks, totalling 6.7m Panama Canal tons (PC/UMS). The previous monthly records were set in January 2020 with 54 transits and in November 2020 with 6.23m PC/UMS.

"These achievements reaffirm the Canal's ability to adapt and guarantee our competitiveness and reliability to capture the opportunities presented by market changes, including the liquefied natural gas segment," said Panama Canal Administrator, Ricaurte Vásquez. "For more than a century, the Panama Canal has demonstrated its responsiveness to global trade changes, and what the world has experienced in the past year will not be the exception."

The Panama Canal implemented recent adjustments in its processes to provide greater flexibility in its operations and respond more efficiently to the continuous changes in the demands of maritime trade, reflected in the current vessel mix that use the waterway.

In January, the Panama Canal announced modifications to the Transit Reservation Booking System, allowing any slot that becomes available for neo-panamax vessels within 96 hours prior to transit to be offered through an auction process. Since the modifications, the Canal has conducted 25 auctions, of which nine have been awarded to LNG vessels.

Related:Panama Canal expects shifts in global trade patterns

The increase of LNG transits through the Panama Canal is a result of record winter temperatures in Asia, which have caused LNG prices to rise to unprecedented levels.