A-36-2026

Neopanamax draft limit 14.94 m and increase to 10 booking slots from Oct 15

ActiveReceived 28 Sept 2026, 00:00 UTC

Warning text

Panama Canal Authority Vice Presidency for Operations Advisory to Shipping No. A-36-2026 September 28, 2026 TO: All Shipping Agents, Owners, and Operators SUBJECT: Increase in the Number of Neopanamax Booking Slots, Draft Adjustment and Transit Reservation System The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) announces an additional booking slot at the Neopanamax Locks for booking dates beginning October 15, 2026, increasing daily capacity from nine to ten slots. Supported by improving water conditions and favorable hydrological projections, the slot will be offered through Booking Period 2 at the opening of the 2nd Period Competition on October 1, 2026, increasing total daily capacity to 33 transit slots across the Neopanamax and Panamax Locks and providing customers with greater access and planning flexibility. The following tables summarize the slot distribution per Booking Period for the Neopanamax and Panamax Locks: For booking dates beginning October 15, 2026, until further notice: ** Includes the “conditioned” slot Additionally, taking into consideration the most recent precipitation levels recorded in September in the Canal watershed and the effectiveness of the water-saving measures implemented at the locks, and based on the current and projected level of Gatun Lake for the following weeks, the maximum authorized draft for vessels transiting the Neopanamax Locks is hereby set effective immediately and until further notice at 14.94 m (49.0 feet). Therefore, effective September 29, 2026, for booking dates beginning October 15, 2026, the following rules will apply in the Neopanamax Locks: 1. No customer limitation on the number of slots that may be awarded per booking date or week. 2. Customers will be allowed to obtain booking slots for consecutive dates. 3. The following table provides a detailed breakdown per market segment of the slot distribution shown above, including the daily auction slot, the slots allocated through the LoTSA and NetZero programs, as well as the available slots in each booking period: CATEGORIES SPECIAL PERIOD LoTSA Slots >90 Days Period 1 (90 Days) Period 1A (30-15 Days) Period 2 (14-8 Days) Subtotal AUCTIONS TOTAL Neopanamax 1 3 * 3 2** 9 1 10 Supers 3 N/A 6 N/A 8 17 1 18 Regulares 2 N/A 1 N/A 1 4 1 5 Total 6 3 7 3 11 30 3 33 3654-A (OP-I) V. 29/03/2023 3654-A (OP-I) V. 29/03/2023 OP, September 28, 2026 Subject: Increase in the Number of Neopanamax Booking Slots, Draft Adjustment and Transit Reservation System 4. In the Full Container segment, a minimum of six (6) slots per date will be allocated and distributed based on the vessel TTA capacity as shown in the following table: • Depending on the number of slots allocated through LoTSA, the number of slots offered to each range will be adjusted by reducing the slots available in the range order from 1 to 3. • If during the competition there are not enough vessels to allocate all the slots in ranges #1 or #2, the remaining slots will be offered in the immediately superior range. • If during the competition there is no vessel to allocate the slot in range #3, the slot will be offered in range #2 or #1 subsequently. • If during the competition there are not enough vessels to allocate all the slots to Full Container vessels, the remaining slots will be offered in the following order to: LNG, LPG, Vehicle Carriers/RoRo, Bulkers or Others. • After the competition, any remaining slots will be available during the rest of the booking period or until the slots have been allocated to the first interested customer. 5. In the LPG segment, a minimum of three (3) slots per date will be allocated and distributed based on the customer ranking: • If during the competition there are not enough vessels to allocate all the slots to LPG vessels, the remaining slots will be offered in the following order to: LNG, Full Containers, Vehicle Carriers/RoRo, Bulkers or Others. • After the competition, any remaining slots will be available during the rest of the booking period or until the slots have been allocated to the first interested customer. 6. In the LNG segment, a minimum of four (4) slots per week will be allocated and distributed based on the customer ranking: • If during the competition there are not enough vessels to allocate all the slots to LNG vessels, the remaining slots will be offered in the following order: Full Containers, LPG, Vehicle Carriers/RoRo, Bulkers or Others. • After the competition, any remaining slots will be available during the rest of the booking period or until the slots have been allocated to the first interested customer. 7. In the Vehicle Carriers/RoRo, Bulkers and Other segments, a minimum of three (3) slots per week will be allocated and distributed based on the customer ranking: Slots Full Container LPG LNG Vehicle Carriers/RORO /Bulkers/Other Per Segment per week 42 21 4 3 Range # TTA Range Slots 1 < 9,000 2 2 9,000 – 13,499 2 3 ≥ 13,500 2 3654-A (OP-I) V. 29/03/2023 OP, September 28, 2026 Subject: Increase in the Number of Neopanamax Booking Slots, Draft Adjustment and Transit Reservation System • If during the competition there are not enough vessels to allocate all the slots to Vehicle Carriers/RoRo, Bulkers and Other segments, the remaining slots will be offered in the following order to: Full Containers, LNG or LPG. • After the competition, any remaining slots will be available during the rest of the booking period or until the slots have been allocated to the first interested customer. 8. The maximum number of slots established per market segment per date or week may be exceeded when there are no customers from other market segments interested in the available slots. 9. Slots awarded through the auction process will not count toward the market segment limits. 10. In case there are vessels participating in the competition with the same TTA capacity, the Customer Ranking will be used as the tiebreaker criteria. Once a slot is assigned, customers will be allowed to substitute the vessel with another vessel of the same or greater TTA capacity and swap with another vessel with the same TTA capacity. Any customer preference for the competition and submitted during the reservation slot allocation process will also be limited to vessels with the same or greater TTA capacity. 11. Booking date changes may be allowed, provided that such transactions do not result in a market segment exceeding the maximum weekly slots allocation, unless there are no vessels from other market segments interested in the available slot. 12. The Last-Minute Reservation service shall be made available in accordance with the criteria and rules set forth in Notice to Shipping N-07 when a slot becomes available and the ACP, at its sole discretion, decides to offer such slot. 13. A daily auction slot will continue to be made available, reinforcing the ACP's commitment to providing continued access opportunities for customers and broad participation by all eligible bidders. While the water deficit within the Canal watershed continues, the Transit Reservation (Booking) System remains the only mechanism to guarantee a transit date. Vessels without a reservation may therefore experience indefinite delays. The Canal remains committed to closely monitoring water conditions and rainfall levels and will communicate any further adjustments in a timely manner, as circumstances warrant. For inquiries regarding these measures, please contact: [email protected] ORIGINAL SIGNED Boris Moreno Vásquez Vice President for Operations

Analysis

Active

Panama Canal Authority sets maximum authorized draft for Neopanamax Locks to 14.94 m effective immediately until further notice. An additional Neopanamax booking slot increases daily Neopanamax capacity from nine to ten for booking dates beginning 15 October 2026. Changes support current hydrological conditions and will be in effect until further notice. Vessels without reservations may experience indefinite delays.

Type: Port / channel notice · severity moderate
Location: Panama Canal - Neopanamax Locks (Gatun Lake watershed referenced)
Validity: From 28 Sept 2026, 00:00 UTC
Maximum authorized draft effective immediately and until further notice; slot increase for booking dates beginning October 15, 2026, effective September 29, 2026 (for booking dates beginning Oct 15, 2026).
Activity periods: 28 Sept 2026, 00:00 UTC - ? (Maximum authorized draft for Neopanamax Locks set at 14.94 m effective immediately and until further notice.)
15 Oct 2026, 00:00 UTC - ? (Neopanamax daily booking slots increased from nine to ten for booking dates beginning 15 October 2026, offered through Booking Period 2.)
Hazards: draft restriction, transit reservation capacity change, possible transit delays for vessels without reservation

Worked out automatically from the warning text on 30 Sept 2026, 17:51 UTC. It can be wrong: the official warning text is the authority.

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