The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) announced late April 19 its reduction of the maximum allowable draft for vessels transiting the Neopanamax locks to 48.5 feet, or 14.78 meters, was suspended until further notice, keeping the current maximum draft at 49 ft (14.94 meters).
The ACP said recent rainfall spurred the decision, with the projected level of the Gatun Lakes in the coming weeks allowing for ships with drafts up to the 49 ft mark to transit through the Neopanamax Locks. Typically, for ships exceeding the posted draft level, the ACP can allow passage depending on the actual level of the Gatun Lake at the time of transit; otherwise, the ships are required to offload cargo in order to steam through the locks.
The announcement that would have set the maximum draft to 48.5 ft was posted April 8, and the new restriction was due to come into effect May 6. The April 8 announcement suspended an earlier posting March 24 that would have reduced the maximum allowable level to 48 ft (14.63 meters) effective April 24. The current 49 ft maximum draft restriction was announced Feb. 24 and came into effect March 24, having previously stood at 49.5 ft or 15.09 meters from March 17.
At the current 49 ft draft restriction, most clean tanker and smaller dirty tankers can transit the Neopanamax locks, as Medium Range, Long Range 1 and Long Range 2 tankers can all transit at a 50 ft draft. Aframaxes, which have a maximum draft of 14.9 meters, are still able to transit at the 14.94 meter level. Fully laden Suezmaxes, which draw a draft of 50 ft, are unable to transit at the 49 ft limit.
For container ships, the 49 ft restriction limits fully laden Neopanamax ships from passing through the locks, as they typically draw a draft of 49.9 ft when carrying up to 14,500 twenty-foot equivalent containers. All other container ships steaming on the North Asia to US East Coast route can transit the Panama Canal at the 49 ft draft.
For dry bulk shipping, fully laden Neopanamax ships are able to transit the canal at the current 49 ft draft, having a maximum draft at that same level; however, Capesize ships, with typical maximum drafts of 66 ft, will not be able to transit if fully laden. Handysize, Supramax, Ultramax and Panamax dry bulk carriers, with maximum drafts of 10 meters, 11 meters and 12 meters, respectively, will be able to pass through the restricted 14.94 meters of maximum draft.
