The New Panama Canal – Avoiding Issues

The changes to the canal layout include:

• A new third set of locks.
• Pacific access channel.
• Improvements to navigation of the channels, inclusive of dredging.
• Improvements to the water supply.

This change means the canal can now be used by larger vessels.

Does Your Vessel Fit Through The Canal?

The maximum dimensions for commercial power driven vessels for the newly extended canal are as follows:

Length (including the bulbous bow): 366.0 m

Beam: 49.0m

Max Draft: 15.20m (Tropical Fresh Water).

Draft restrictions can be put in place dependent on seasonal water level.

Vessels designed to operate in the new canal are termed NEOPANAMAX.

  Source: ACP extended lock outline.

Can Your Vessel Use The Canal

The change to the canal layout means new vessel design requirements. This of course impacts both existing vessels that were previously too large to use the Panama Canal, as well as the requirements for new build units wishing to use the canal in the future. Existing vessels may not be designed or equipped to transit the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) have issued a document on vessel requirements with regard to their layout and design features.

Owners wishing to take advantage of the newly extended canal should ensure their vessels comply with the requirements set out in OP Notice to Shipping N-1-2017 which cancels N-1-2016, as of the 1 January 2017.

Mooring Arrangements

One of the key alterations that may be necessary is to the vessels mooring arrangements. The ACP, as well as many of the IACS class societies, report that they are receiving the most enquiries from ship owners regarding changes to the mooring and towing arrangements. For example, fittings may need to be upgraded to 90 tonnes SWL and / or new fittings may need installing.

Other changes required by vessels to allow them to transit the canal include:

• Pilot platforms and shelters need to be installed on the bridge wings and forward side of the vessel.
• The visibility from the bridge may require checking. In particular, vessels with aft accommodations may find it difficult to meet the stricter requirements of 1.0 or 1.5 times the ships length visibility ahead for maximum and minimum drafts respectively.
• Displays such as rudder angle indicators, tachometers and propeller revolution indicators must be visible inside from the vessel’s conning position and on both bridge wings.
• The vessel’s whistle must be operable from the wheelhouse and from both bridge wings.
• A VHF radio should be capable of being used from the conning position. The alteration of any of the vessel’s current design will be regulated by the classification society. Any planned changes should be conducted within their requirements and subject to their approval.

Prior to any alterations being made to existing vessel’s or any new vessel’s being built; the ACP will require the drawings for their review and approval.

North therefore recommends that submission of these drawings is done in good time to gain relevant approval prior to work commencing on vessels.

Failure to meet the canal requirements could result in a vessel being denied transit until they comply with all requirements.

For single transits (when transits are not a regular feature of the vessel’s service), the ACP may allow a vessel that does not meet the requirements to transit, although this may be subject to special conditions. Confirmation of any special conditions should be sought by members from the ACP as early as possible to avoid issues for the transit.

What Navigation Equipment is Required?

All navigation equipment should be as per SOLAS Ch.V/18 (IMO performance standards) as a minimum.

The ACP has made the use of AIS mandatory for all vessels over 300 gross tonnes and 20m.

The ACP monitor the information transmitted by AIS and have recently reported that some ships still do not transmit the correct information, or have the AIS correctly set up on board. Problems reported by the Panama Canal authorities include:

• Ship specific data incorrect.
• Ship not transmitting heading information, or not connected to the vessels gyro.
• Some ship AIS stations do not respond to shore station commands. The cause is probably outdated firmware.
• Incorrect location of the Pilot plug on the bridge and/or the installation not following IMO’s “Guidelines for Installation of Ship borne Automatic Identification System (AIS)“.
• There is no nearby power source near the AIS plug or the voltage is not correct for the pilot’s laptop. The voltage should be 120VAC 50/60hz.

Vessels not meeting the exact requirements for the AIS wanting to transit the canal may be subject to additional charges for fitting their own tracking devices.  

The Canal authorities have released a notice on the use and exact requirements of AIS in the Panama Canal transits.

Where Can I Take Bunkers?

Due to the high volume of ships requesting to take bunkers at the inner anchorage of Cristobal, bunkering operations are allowed in the Atlantic Outer Anchorage. This is on a case by case basis only, depending on weather conditions. Members requesting bunkering in the outer anchorage must fulfil the requirements as laid out in the Canal Authorities advisory to shipping No. A-18-2015.

Members considering making use of the newly extended Panama Canal arrangement should research the requirements closely alongside their classification societies to avoid possible issues.

The expanded canal image can be viewed here.

Vessel Requirements – N-1-2017

AIS Information – A-43-2016

Bunkering in the Atlantic Outer Anchorage – A-18-2015