The Panama Canal Authority has issued precise details on dimensions for the next era of Panamax ships. Proposals for the new locks will be received by March 3 and the canal authority is expected to announce which consortium will be awarded the construction by this May. “Each of the new lock complexes will have three chambers. The chamber dimensions of the new locks will be 427 meters long, 55 meters wide and 18.3 meters deep,” according to the canal authority.
“The corresponding maximum dimensions for vessels that will transit these locks are 366-meter length overall, 49 meters in beam and 15.2 meters in tropical freshwater draught. These dimensions define the new Panamax-size vessel,” Panama Canal Authority officials told reporters.
When the expansion is completed in 2014, the navigational channels will allow transit of what are now described as post-Panamax container ships; Suezmax liquid-bulk tankers; Capesize dry bulk carriers; and larger sizes of LNG carriers, passenger ships and other vessel types, within the established dimensional limits, according to the canal authority.
“The corresponding maximum dimensions for vessels that will transit these locks are 366-meter length overall, 49 meters in beam and 15.2 meters in tropical freshwater draught. These dimensions define the new Panamax-size vessel,” Panama Canal Authority officials told reporters.
When the expansion is completed in 2014, the navigational channels will allow transit of what are now described as post-Panamax container ships; Suezmax liquid-bulk tankers; Capesize dry bulk carriers; and larger sizes of LNG carriers, passenger ships and other vessel types, within the established dimensional limits, according to the canal authority.