Panama Canal Adds Transit Capacity as Rainfall Brings Relief

The Panama Canal is easing restrictions on vessel draft and daily transits after improved rainfall and water-saving measures helped stabilize conditions in the waterway’s drought-sensitive watershed.

The Panama Canal Authority said the maximum authorized draft for vessels using the Neopanamax locks has been increased immediately to 49 feet (14.94 meters) Tropical Fresh Water, up from 48 feet.

The Canal will also increase the number of daily Neopanamax transits from nine to 10 beginning October 15, bringing total available capacity across the Neopanamax and Panamax locks to 33 vessels per day.

The changes mark a notable reversal from restrictions imposed over the summer as