Panama Canal Raises Daily Transits to 34 and Neopanamax Draft to 50 Feet

The Panama Canal announced that, effective November 9, 2026, it is increasing its daily transit capacity to 34 slots and raising the maximum authorized draft for vessels transiting the Neopanamax locks to 15.24 meters (50 feet). The measure, communicated through a Notice to Shipping from the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), takes effect immediately and will remain in force until further notice.

The adjustment adds one additional reserved slot at the Panamax locks for vessels in the Super category, increasing from 18 to 19 available slots per day in that segment. With this addition, the Canal's total capacity is now distributed as 24 daily slots at the Panamax locks and 10 at the Neopanamax locks.

The ACP explained that the increase responds to improved lake levels and favorable hydrological forecasts, which allow for optimized use of water resources without compromising the sustainability of operations. According to the authority's records, Gatún Lake reached a level of 87.1 feet on November 9, about 6.6 feet, or two meters, above the 80.49 feet recorded on the same date in 2023.

The additional slot for the Super category will be offered through the Canal's regular booking system. For transit dates between November 12 and 17, it will be allocated through Period 3 by auction; between November 18 and 23, through the Special Competition Period 2; and from November 24 onward, during the regular opening of the Second Competition Period.

The adjustment comes after a series of restrictions imposed this year due to unusual drought conditions: between May and August, rainfall in the Canal watershed was 34% below the historical average and water flows were 44% below normal. Daily slots had dropped to 32 as of September 15, the Neopanamax draft was raised to 49 feet on September 28, and a tenth Neopanamax slot was restored on October 15, bringing capacity to 33 daily transits before the latest increase.

The Canal reminded users that the Transit Reservation System remains the only mechanism that guarantees a transit date, so vessels without a reservation could face significantly longer waiting times. The ACP stated that it will continue monitoring the watershed's hydrological conditions and lake levels in order to promptly communicate any further adjustments.