Q2 tonnage increase for Panama Canal

During Q2 there was also an increase in traffic of supers (vessels 91 ft or more in beam) and container vessels. Transits of supers increased by 8.7% from 1,776 to 1,930, while transits of container vessels grew by 12.8%, from 780 vessels to 880.

Despite an increase in transits, Canal Waters Time (CWT), the average time it takes a vessel to transit the Canal, including waiting time for passage, decreased by 8.8%, from 30.09 hours to 27.43 hours. Five official accidents (i.e. accidents in which a formal investigation is requested and conducted) occurred during Q2, compared with four in the same period of the previous fiscal year. Utilisation of the Canal’s booking system grew by 0.5%, from 94.5% utilisation to 94.9%.

“The Panama Canal remains a vital and economically competitive transit system in the maritime and shipping industry. We are keeping up with heightened levels of demand for the waterway, handling more traffic and tonnage, while keeping transit time consistent, if not reduced,” commented ACP maritime operations director Manuel Benitez.