The container ship MSC MARIE transited through the Panama Canal recently, marking a milestone by becoming the largest capacity Neopanamax to cross the interoceanic route.
With a length of 366 meters (1,200 feet) and a width of 51 meters (167.4 feet), the MSC MARIE boasts a maximum capacity of 17,640 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units), setting a new record.
This achievement surpasses the previous record held by the EVER MAX vessel, which made the transit at a capacity of 17,312 TEUs during inaugural passage in August 2023.
The arrival of the MSC MARIE in Panama, coming from the port of Manzanillo in Mexico, not only highlights the canal’s ability to handle the largest and most modern ships, but also its importance as a key hub in global trade.
Consistently strong rains will allow the Panama Canal to accommodate 36 transits a day from September with the interoceanic waterway getting ever closer to maximum operating conditions, according to the company’s release.
At its maximum, the canal can handle 40 ship transits a day, a figure that was eroded last year as months of record drought took their toll. In tandem, canal administrators were forced to cut maximum draft limits for ships transiting the waterway’s larger Neopanamax locks by close to 2 meters, something that has eased in recent months as rains have returned. The canal will increase daily transits to 35 slots after August 5.
Preparations for a $2bn expansion of one of the canal’s water reservoirs, following approval by Panama’s Supreme Court, are expected to take 18 to 24 months, the ACP revealed last month.
The Panama Canal Authority revealed last month that preparations for the $2 billion expansion of one of the canal’s reservoirs are expected to take 18 to 24 months, following approval by Panama’s Supreme Court.
