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Busier,
Faster Panama Canal
Figures for the quarter January-March released
by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) show an
increase in net tonnage, total transits and
booking slot utilization.
There was also an increase in “official
accidents”.
Canal Waters Time (CWT), the average time it
takes a vessel to transit the Canal including
waiting time for passage, decreased.
Panama Canal/Universal Measurement System
(PC/UMS) tonnage increased 6.30 percent - to
79.7 million PC/UMS tons from 75 million PC/UMS
tons.
The steady climb in tonnage was complemented by
an increase in traffic, including transits of
panamax vessels (the largest vessel that can
transit the Canal).
Total Canal transits increased 4.7 percent - to
4,052 transits from 3,869. Transits of panamax
vessels increased 3.90 percent - to 1,559
transits from 1,501.
"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," stated ACP Maritime Operations
Director Manuel Benitez.
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