55 ships use expanded locks in first month

IN THE FIRST month of operation of the new locks of the Panama Canal, 55 Neopanamax  ships passed through the expanded Panama  Canal locks, inaugurated on June 26.

“We are totally satisfied with what we have seen during the first month of operations for the expanded Canal,” said Panama Canal Authority (ACP) administrator Jorge Luis Quijano.

To date ACP records show the transit of 29 container ships; 22 two liquefied petroleum gas (LPG); and two liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, The LNG’s were the first to pass through the canal with such a cargo.

According to the ACP, the number of reservations waterway has received so far, for various types of neopanamax ships, exceeds 229, and grows each week

Quijano said that to date there has been only one official incident, which occurred last week, which has not generated any claims, so far, from those responsible for the ship.

For fiscal years 2017 and 2018 transits  of the first seven cruise vessels are expected for the new locks.

The main vessels using the Panama Canal are container ships, followed by dry bulk cargo, refrigerated tankers, car carriers, general cargo and cruise ships.