THE PANAMA CANAL
OVERVIEW
- The Canal is 50 miles (80 kilometers) long from deep water in the Atlantic to deep water in the Pacific. The airline distance between the two entrances is 43 miles.
- The full transit requires 12 hours for an average ship.
- In accordance with the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, the operation and management of the Panama Canal were transferred to the Government of Panama on December 31, 1999.
- On June 26, 2016, The Panama Canal Expansion became a reality with two sets of extra locks – Agua Clara at the Atlantic Side and Cocolí on the Pacific.
- Panama Locks chambers are 110 ft (33.53 m) wide by 1,050 ft (320 m) long.
- Neopanamax Locks chambers are 180 ft (55 m) wide by 1,400 ft (427 m) long.
- The water used to raise and lower vessels in each set of locks comes from Gatun Lake by gravity.
- The narrowest portion of the Canal is Culebra Cut, which extends from the north end of Pedro Miguel Locks to the south edge of Gatun Lake at Gamboa.
- Some 13 to 14 thousand vessels use the Canal every year. The Panama Canal serves more than 144 maritime routes connecting 160 countries and reaching some 1,700 ports in the world.
HOW IT WORKS
CANAL TRANSITS
ADVISORIES AND NOTICES
HANDY TRANSIT BOOKING GUIDE
PANAMA CANAL CUSTOMER RANKING
BASIC CANAL COSTS
CANAL TRANSITS
The Panama Canal Authority has available through their website (www.pancanal.com) all the pertinent rules, regulations, and guidelines governing the transit of the Canal. Particular attention should be paid to the following points:
