Future-proofing the Panama Canal
Infrastructure improvements and keen water management mean the Panama Canal can now accommodate the vast majority of the world’s shipping fleet, explained the canal’s Vice-President for Operations, Ilya Espino de Marotta.
In May, the Panama Canal Authority (PCA) announced that the maximum length overall for vessels using its strategic Central American waterway had increased from 367.28m (1,205ft) to 370.33m (1,215ft) – enough to transit 96.8% of the world’s containership fleet.
News of the improved capability came after the successful completion of a series of trial transits to test the safety of the canal’s new operational capability – including the transit in 2019 of Evergreen’s 369m (1,210ft) Triton.
Credit: Panama Canal Authority
Since then, several other ships with the same dimensions and container cargo capacity have also transited the waterway, including Talos and Theseus.
The canal’s maximum draft – now established at 15.24m (50ft) – has also improved from its previous best maximum draft of 14.93m (49ft).
“It is truly amazing to see the growth of the Canal Expansion since its opening five years ago”
Ilya Espino de Marotta
Anticipating increased future competition from the Suez Canal and the Northern Sea Route, the PCA has achieved its newly improved capacity by investing heavily in two ambitious engineering projects – The Panama Canal Expansion and a programme of water management.
New lanes
The Panama Canal Expansion – which opened for commercial operation in June 2016 – doubled the previous capacity of the canal by adding a new lane of traffic and increasing the width and depth of the existing lanes and locks.
“It is truly amazing to see the growth of the Canal Expansion since its opening five years ago,” explained Ilya Espino de Marotta, the first female deputy administrator of the Panama Canal and vice-president for operations, who oversaw the construction of the Canal Expansion.
Credit: Panama Canal Authority
“I have witnessed first-hand the excellence of our team in adapting and innovating to welcome a new era for global trade.
“These changes allow us more flexibility, reliability, and sustainability in our service, and we have updated technology and equipment to ensure the safe passage of larger vessels.”
Water levels raised
The PCA has also worked hard to raise the water level of Gatun Lake – a large artificial area of freshwater that carries ships for 21 miles (33km) of their 50-mile (80km) transit through the canal, and which acts as the main water reservoir for the canal’s 12 locks.
Over recent years the Panama Canal Watershed has been severely impacted by both decreasing rainfall and increasing levels of water evaporation, with 2019’s rainfall more than 20 per cent below the historic average.
However, in February 2020, the PCA adopted a series of water conservation measures to improve and safeguard its operational water levels, which have allowed it to maintain optimal draft levels throughout the first half of 2021.
LNG record set
While containerships currently represent more than half of the traffic travelling through the Canal Expansion, there has also been a sharp, recent increase in the number of LNG (liquefied natural gas) carriers using the waterway.
Credit: Panama Canal Authority
The canal set a new monthly record for transits of LNG vessels in January this year when 58 LNG ships travelled through the new larger locks – up from the previous monthly record of 54 transits set in January 2020.
Pilots and captains ready
“We have provided constant training to our pilots and tugboat captains to prepare them for trial transits and conduct vessel manoeuvres ahead of any operational change,” added Ilya Espino de Marotta.
“We are continuing the same commitment today that we made five years ago when the Canal Expansion opened – to continue enhancing the service and value we offer for the benefit of our customers and the world.”
Dennis O’Neill is a freelance journalist specialising in maritime.