The Panama Canal is increasing its daily capacity for vessel transit to 34 ships and is restoring the maximum draft limit at its Neopanamax locks to 50 feet. This change comes as water conditions improve, reducing worries about a lengthy El Niño.
The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) shared these updates on November 9, stating that rising lake levels, positive weather forecasts, and effective water-saving measures at the locks have made this possible.
The new arrangement allows one more daily booking for Super vessels at the Panamax locks, raising availability from 18 to 19. In total, the daily reservation capacity increases from 33 to 34 slots, which includes 24 at the Panamax locks and 10 at the larger Neopanamax locks.
The ACP has also increased the maximum authorized draft for Neopanamax ships to 15.24 meters (50 feet), effective immediately. This change follows an adjustment in October that had raised the draft limit to 49 feet.
These adjustments represent a shift in the canal's operating situation after months of worries about poor water conditions and potential effects from a lengthy El Niño.
As gCaptain reported in September, canal officials decided to delay a planned reduction in the Neopanamax draft limit to 47.5 feet after reviewing Gatun Lake levels and rainfall predictions. At that time, the canal was maintaining a draft limit of 48 feet, while signaling that below-normal rainfall could continue for several months.
These concerns followed the historic drought of 2023–2024, which forced the canal to impose strict limits on vessel transits and drafts, disrupting global shipping schedules and causing some shipments to take longer routes. At the drought's peak, the daily transit capacity dropped to just 22 vessels.
The canal has also faced extra pressure this year due to disruptions in the Middle East, which have led to more shipping traffic being redirected to Panama, increasing competition for transit reservations, especially among energy carriers.
The new Panamax booking slot will be rolled out in phases. For transit dates from November 12 to 17, it will be accessible through the canal's auction system. From November 18 to 23, it will be available during the Special Competition booking period. Starting November 24, it will be offered through the regular Second Competition Period.
Despite the improved situation, the ACP emphasizes the need for advance reservations. The Transit Reservation System remains the only way to ensure a transit date, and vessels without bookings may experience significant delays.
The authority plans to keep monitoring rainfall, watershed conditions, and lake levels, with further operational changes possible as conditions evolve.
This latest increase provides shipping companies with greater flexibility as they approach the final weeks of 2026, though the canal's ability to maintain the higher capacity will still depend on available freshwater.