PANAMA FLASH! | Panama City – May 8th, 2026
Modifications to the Transit Reservation (Booking) System
The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) announces modifications to the Transit Reservation (Booking) System to further optimize capacity, flexibility and customer logistics. These innovations are part of our continued commitment to modernize our service portfolio and deliver an enhanced transit experience through the Panama Canal.
Effective May 9, 2026, for booking dates beginning May 17, 2026, the following rules will apply:
Competition preferences at the Neopanamax and Panamax Locks shall apply exclusively when vessels involved meet all the following criteria:
• Transit in the same direction;
• Are subject to the same operational restrictions, and
• Belong to the same Customer Code.
Additionally, for the Neopanamax Locks, vessels must also belong to the same market segment.
A vessel that participates, on the same day, in competitions for different reservation dates must submit its preferred reservation date via email to Booking@pancanal.com within the established timeframe of 0900 to 0930 hours on the day the competition is conducted. If the vessel fails to submit this preference within the specified period, and in the event the vessel is declared the winner in more than one competition, the reservation slot corresponding to the earliest reservation date will be assigned.
Number of slots awarded per customer code
Regarding the number of two (2) daily slots that may be awarded to each customer (per customer code) per booking date, in the Panamax Locks, the following rules will apply and replaced items A, B and C of the section “22. Same Direction Transits/Supers” on page 19 of Notice to Shipping N07:
- A customer may be awarded up to two (2) reservations during Period 1. Slots awarded during Period 1 are not considered for the two-slot daily limitation in Period 2.
- Customers with slots allocated during Period 2 will be considered for the two-slot daily limitation and may not be assigned a slot for another vessel during any special competition for the same booking date. Including allocations obtained through competitions, and any reservation service or transaction performed during that period, regardless of when the slot was originally awarded.
- Customers with slots allocated during Period 2 will be considered for the two-slot daily limitation and may not be assigned a slot for another vessel during the tiebreaker or special competition for the following booking date. Including allocations obtained through competitions, and any reservation service or transaction performed during that period, regardless of when the slot was originally awarded.
Customer Responsibilities
Customers who remain in competition beyond the 0900-0930 hours window without submitting a formal notice of withdrawal or preference will be required to accept the awarded reservation and be subject to the applicable cancellation fees. Likewise, slots awarded through the First Come, First Served (FCFS) option that a customer later decides not to use, must be formally cancelled by the customer and be subject to the applicable cancellation fees.
These provisions apply to all market segments and vessel categories, without exception.
Furthermore, the list of requirements that vessels must comply with, as published in Advisory to Shipping No. A-07-2026 has been updated and is available in the following link: https://pancanal.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lista-de-Requerimientos-para-transito-y-harbor.pdf
Panamax Locks Maintenance
The Canal Authority has informed of a tentative lane outage to facilitate maintenance works during the following period:
Dates: June 9 – June 17 (9 days)
Location: Gatun East Lane
Booking Condition: Condition 2
Estimated Daily Capacity: 16 vessels in the Panamax locks
These maintenance works have not yet been formally confirmed by the Canal Authority; however, if implemented as indicated, overall Canal capacity will be reduced. Under such conditions, transit booking demand is expected to exceed the number of slots available.
The Transit Reservation System for the Panamax locks would be declared under Condition 2 (reduced booking availability). As a result, difficulties in obtaining booking slots are expected to increase due to the temporary reduction in transit capacity.
To minimize potential delays, we recommend securing transit reservations while First and Second Period booking slots remain available.
Please note: This maintenance will not affect operations at the Neopanamax Locks, which are expected to continue operating normally.
Internet / Bank Fraud
As a further reminder, email hacking and fraudulent banking instructions remain a constant threat within our industry.
We hereby reconfirm the banking details for Norton Lilly International (Panama), S.A. held with Citibank New York, which have remained unchanged and in continuous use for more than ten (10) years.
Should you receive any communication containing different bank details or revised wiring instructions allegedly issued on behalf of Norton Lilly Panama, please contact us by telephone to verify authenticity prior to processing any payment.
For avoidance of doubt, our confirmed banking details are as follows:
Citibank N.A.
111 Wall St.
New York, N.Y. 10043
Swift: CITIUS33 / ABA 021000089
Beneficiary: Norton Lilly International (Panama), S.A.
Account No.: 36937495
For additional information, please reach out to our operators at operations@nortonlilly.com.pa.
Norton Lilly International (Panama) S.A.
Bldg. 3825 – Office 204
Howard – Panama-Pacifico
Panama, Rep. of Panama
Tel: (507) 304-4600
Main email: operations@nortonlilly.com.pa (24 hours)
