The Panama Canal Authority has announced temporary reductions to transit capacity at its locks, along with changes to its daily slot auctions, as reduced rainfall continues to affect the canal watershed.
From 3 September 2026, the number of daily slots at the Neopanamax Locks will be cut to nine, with the Panamax Locks reduced to 25.
A further adjustment will bring the Panamax Locks down to 23 daily slots from 15 September.
Despite the onset of Panama’s rainy season and water-saving measures introduced to offset the effects of El Niño, the authority said current watershed conditions, including below-expected precipitation, meant further action was needed to protect the long-term sustainability of transit operations.
Alongside the capacity cuts, the Panama Canal Authority will restructure its daily auction slots for Neopanamax, Supers and Regular vessels from 3 September into four groups: LNG and LPG carriers; dry bulk carriers, general cargo and others; container vessels, vehicle carriers/RoRo and refrigerated cargo; and chemical tankers and crude/product tankers.
The change is intended to create a more equitable allocation process reflecting different cargo types and market segments.
Customers who have already secured a booking slot for the same transit date through LoTSA, NetZero or prior allocations will not be eligible for an additional slot unless no other competitors are present, in a move designed to balance booking access across users while maximising water-use efficiency.
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Customer limits will not apply to auction-awarded slots. In the Neopanamax Locks, full container vessels with the highest TEU capacity will be prioritised, with Customer Ranking used as a tiebreaker.
The authority warned that fewer daily transits could increase waiting times for vessels arriving without a secured reservation and urged customers to use the Transit Reservation (Booking) System, noting that a confirmed booking remains the only mechanism guaranteeing a transit date.
Under Notice to Shipping N-07, the authority retains the right to suspend all or part of the booking system when necessary; cancelled reservations in such cases will not incur penalties, surcharges or cancellation fees.
The Panama Canal Authority also confirmed it would delay planned draft restrictions at the Neopanamax Locks. The maximum authorised draft of 14.63 metres (48.0 feet) TFW, originally due to take effect on 26 August 2026, will now be postponed until 2 September 2026.
A further adjustment to 14.48 metres (47.5 feet) TFW, previously scheduled for 3 September, will now come into force on 1 October 2026.
The authority said it would continue monitoring weather conditions, watershed inflows and lake levels closely, and would provide further updates should additional operational changes be required.
For more information:
Panama Canal Authority – https://pancanal.com/
