LNG Almost 10% of Panama Canal Transits
"Over the last 15 months, the Expanded Canal has repeatedly exceeded expectations," said Panama Canal Administrator Jorge L. Quijano September 27
The expanded Panama Canal has served a number of vessel segments since its opening in June 2016, including containerships, and carriers of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and LNG – the latter a new segment since June 2016.
The Panama Canal Authority said that LNG carriers accounted for 8.6% of transits in the past 15 months, against 29.2% for LPG vessels, and 54% for container ships; among the latter it noted that the Panama Canal welcomed COSCO Yantian, the 2,000th Neopanamax vessel on September 26.
According to industry sources, just two companies have booked all the available capacity for LNG tankers for the coming year or so.
Mark Smedley