Modifications to the Transit Reservation (Booking) System

PANAMA FLASH! | Panama City – December 24th, 2024

Modifications to the Transit Reservation (Booking) System

The Panama Canal Authority announces the rules and conditions for the Last-Minute Transit Reservation and the Vessel Scheduling Fee available in the following web link:  https://pancanal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Scheduling-and-Last-minute-services-Guide.pdf

These services will be effective on January 1, 2025, as published in the Advisories A-25-2024, A-31-2024 and A-34-2024.

In addition, the required arrival time of 2200 hours on the day prior to their booking date or Transit Date

Advancement, for Supers or Regular vessels with transit restrictions (clear-cut, clear-cut daylight hours) is hereby suspended until further notice.   The required arrival time defined in the Notice to Shipping N-07 remains in effect.

Additionally, effective immediately, booked vessels will be allowed to change dates, request substitutions and swaps between 365 and 91 days prior to any booking date, even without an open booking period.  The rules  published in the Notice to Shipping N-07 allowing these transactions during any Booking Period will remain unchanged.

Scheduling and Last-Minute services

RULES AND PROCEDURES

The Last-Minute Transit Reservation rules and conditions are described below:

1. The ACP may offer the Last-Minute Transit Reservation service to the following vessels:

a. Vessels from all market segments and categories including dead tows.

b. Vessels that have already arrived at Canal waters.

c. Vessels ready to transit. d. Vessels that have tried at least one of the following actions within the last seven days from the new offered booking date:

• Vessels that have forfeited the booking slot and are unable to obtain a new booking date in the following seven days from the forfeited booking date; or
• vessels that have tried to obtain a booking slot during any booking period and through an auction for a transit date; or
• Vessels that tried to obtain a transit booking slot through at least two auctions.

2. The booking slot may be offered between 4 to 2 days prior to the transit date based on the Canal Capacity and vessel mix constraints within the transit schedule.

3. This service will not be available to vessels that will transit with a Vessel Scheduling fee.

4. Once the slot is allocated the vessel is committed to paying the Last-Minute Reservation fee based on the vessel size as per Official Maritime Tariff.

5. In the event the vessel with a Last-Minute Reservation is unable to initiate its transit due to any reason attributable to the vessel, the Last-Minute Reservation fee will be applied based on the vessel size as per Official Maritime Tariff.

6. In the event the vessel with a Last-Minute Reservation is unable to complete its transit due to any reason attributable to the vessel, the vessel will be re-scheduled to the earliest available transit date without requiring a new reservation.

7. In the event of a cancelation with a Last-Minute Reservation, where the vessel is unable to initiate or complete its transit due to any reason attributable to the ACP, the vessel will be re-scheduled to the earliest available transit date without requiring a new reservation.

8. Vessels with a Last-Minute Reservation will be required to arrive at the first set of locks not later than 2359 hours of the booking date.

9. This tariff is not applicable to passenger vessels, vessels from the Intra-maritime cluster, vessels of war and auxiliary vessels from the United States and the Republic of Panama.

10. Vessels offered a Last-Minute Transit Reservation via email will be required to submit a booking request through the Transit Reservation (Booking) System.

11. In case there are two or more vessels that meet the requirements for the Last-Minute Transit Reservation, the slot will be assigned based on the following order:

1. Vessel with the earliest forfeited booking date.
2. Vessel with the earliest arrival time that has a forfeited booking slot.
3. Vessel with the earliest arrival date/time that tried to obtain a booking slot in any booking period and through auction or tried to obtain the booking slot by participating in two auctions.

The rules and conditions for the Vessel Scheduling service are listed below:

1. The ACP charge the Vessel Scheduling fee to the following vessels:

1. Small craft vessels (less than 125 feet in length), small vessels as defined in the toll rates including rallies, among others.
2. Tandem vessels.
3. Neopanamax, Supers and Regular vessels with special configurations.
4. Military or auxiliary vessels from countries other than the United States of America or the  Republic of Panama.
5. Vessels with less than the minimum required speed from all market segments and categories. f. Vessels with full daylight restriction from all market segments and categories.
6. Other vessels announced by the ACP.

2. This tariff is not applicable to passenger vessels, vessel of war and auxiliary vessels from the United States and the Republic of Panama.

3. In the event a vessel is scheduled through the Vessel Scheduling Service the following rules apply:

1. The Vessel Scheduling Fee will be applied based on the vessel size as per the Official Maritime Tariff in case of a cancellation or is unable to initiate its transit due to any reason attributable to the vessel.
2. The vessel will be re-scheduled to the earliest available transit date without any extra scheduling fee in case the vessel is unable to complete its transit due to any reason attributable to the vessel.
3. The vessel will be re-scheduled to the earliest available transit date without any extra scheduling fee in case the vessel is unable to initiate or complete its transit due to any reason attributable to the ACP.

4. In case there are two or more vessels that meet the requirements for the Vessel Scheduling Service, the slot assignment will prioritize vessels ready to transit with the earliest arrival date/time that meet the requirements of the available slot based on the Canal Capacity and vessel mix restrictions within the transit schedule.

5. The following restrictions apply to the Vessel Scheduling Fee and the Last-Minute Reservation:

1. Vessels will not be allowed to request swaps, substitution, Transit in Advance (TIA), Just in Time (JIT) service or Same Date Transit Fee.
2. Vessels will not have a maximum In Transit Time (ITT) threshold.
3. The Vessel will be charged once the vessel arrives at the first set of locks.

The Last-Minute Transit Reservation and Vessel scheduling fee tariff:

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)