A-31-2026

Panama Canal changes to transit reservation (booking) system effective late Aug-Sep 2026

ActiveReceived 28 Aug 2026, 00:00 UTC

Warning text

Panama Canal Authority Vice Presidency for Operations Advisory to Shipping No. A-31-2026 August 28, 2026 TO: All Shipping Agents, Owners, and Operators SUBJECT: Transit Reservation (Booking) System - Rule modifications The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is introducing temporary modifications to the Transit Reservation (Booking) System. These adjustments have been developed after carefully considering customer feedback and suggestions and reflect the ACP’s ongoing commitment to providing the highest level of service possible, ensuring the efficient management of Canal operations, and supporting the sustainable use of water resources. The changes are intended to allocate booking slots as equitably as possible across market segments while prioritizing vessels that make more efficient use of water. The following measures will take effect on the dates indicated below. Neopanamax Locks Slot Allocation Effective August 30, 2026, for booking dates beginning September 13, 2026: 1. Customers will be allowed to obtained more than one slot per booking date, therefore, the following rule published in the Advisory A28-2026 will not apply to Neopanamax vessels “Customers that have already been awarded booking slots in previous periods, including Long Term Slot Allocation (LoTSA) and Net Zero for the same booking date, will not be allowed to obtain a slot during current competition, unless there are no additional competitors.” 2. Customers will be allowed to obtain booking slots for two or more consecutive booking dates, therefore, the following rule published in the Advisory A28-2026 will not apply to Neopanamax vessels “Customers that have already been awarded booking slots for the previous booking date, including LoTSA and Net Zero, will not be allowed to obtain a slot during the following booking date competition, unless there are no additional competitors.” 3. Sixty-three (63) Slots will be offered per week. 4. The following table shows the slot distribution including the slots allocated through LoTSA and NetZero and compliments the slot distribution table per booking period published in the Advisory A29- 2026. 3654-A (OP-I) V. 29/03/2023 OP, August 28, 2026 Subject: Transit Reservation (Booking) System - Rule modifications 5. In the Full Container segment, a minimum of five (5) 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. 6. 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. 7. In the LNG segment, a minimum of three (3) 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 to: 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. 8. 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. • 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. 9. The maximum number of slots per customer may be exceeded when, during the competition, there are no other customers within the same market segment interested in the available slots. 3654-A (OP-I) V. 29/03/2023 OP, August 28, 2026 Subject: Transit Reservation (Booking) System - Rule modifications 10. The limit per customer does not apply to slots awarded through the auction process. 11. 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 swap or substitute the vessel with another vessel of the same or greater 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. 12. Additionally, vessels operating under alliance or vessel-sharing agreements may participate in swaps or substitutions, provided that such transactions do not result in a customer exceeding the maximum number of slots allowed. 13. Booking change date may be allowed, provided that such transaction does not result in a customer exceeding the maximum number of slots allowed. 14. The daily auction slot will be offered using the remaining slot from any of the market segments competitions at the opening of Booking Period 3. While the water deficit continues in the Canal watershed, the Transit Reservation (Booking) System remains the only way to guarantee a transit date. Vessels without a reservation may therefore face indefinite delays. The Canal remains committed to closely monitoring water conditions and rainfall levels and to communicating any further adjustments in a timely manner, as circumstances allow. For inquiries regarding these measures, please contact: [email protected] ORIGINAL SIGNED Boris Moreno Vásquez Vice President for Operations

Analysis

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The Panama Canal Authority has issued temporary modifications to the Transit Reservation (Booking) System to allocate weekly Neopanamax slots and prioritise vessels making efficient use of water. Changes take effect 30 August 2026 and apply to booking dates beginning 13 September 2026, including a weekly offer of 63 Neopanamax slots and minimum slot allocations for Full Container, LPG, LNG and other segments. Vessels without a reservation may face indefinite delays while the water deficit continues; contact the Canal for inquiries.

Type: Port / channel notice · severity low
Location: Panama Canal
Validity: From 30 Aug 2026, 00:00 UTC
Effective August 30, 2026, for booking dates beginning September 13, 2026
Activity periods: 30 Aug 2026, 00:00 UTC - ? (Changes effective 30 August 2026; apply to booking dates beginning 13 September 2026)
Hazards: transit reservation rule changes, possible indefinite transit delays for vessels without reservation

Worked out automatically from the warning text on 30 Sept 2026, 17:57 UTC. It can be wrong: the official warning text is the authority.

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