FLOSSI AT THE PANAMA CANAL

Ship Traffic in the Panama Canal

Annual Transits: The canal accommodates about 12,000–14,000 ships annually, depending on trade fluctuations. This equates to 35–40 ships daily on average.

Cargo Volume: The canal handles over 500 million tons of cargo annually (measured in Panama Canal Universal Measurement System or PC/UMS tons).

Container Ships: Account for the largest share of canal traffic.

Dry Bulk Carriers, Tankers, and LNG Vessels: Significant contributors to the overall cargo.

Passenger Ships: Cruise ships also transit, though they represent a smaller portion of traffic.

Major Changes Over the Last 25 Years

Panama Canal Expansion (2007–2016):

A $5.25 billion expansion project, known as the Panama Canal Expansion Project or Third Set of Locks, was completed in 2016.

New Locks Added:

Cocolí Locks on the Pacific side.

Agua Clara Locks on the Atlantic side.

Larger Ships Allowed: The expansion accommodates Neo-Panamax ships, which are up to 366 meters (1,200 feet) long, 49 meters (160 feet) wide, and with a draft of 15 meters (49 feet), significantly larger than the original Panamax limit.

Impact: Boosted global trade capacity, particularly for larger container ships, LNG carriers, and bulk carriers.

Increased LNG and LPG Traffic:

The expanded canal allows the transit of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) carriers, reflecting the growth in global energy trade.