International. The Panama Canal recorded 13,951 transits in fiscal 2026 (October 2025 to September 2026), up 4.1 per cent from 13,404, and 521 million PC/UMS tons, up 6.5 per cent, the American Journal of Transportation reported on 22 October 2026.
Neopanamax locks carried 52.2 per cent of total tonnage, up 8.2 per cent, and unaudited revenue rose 16.6 per cent to B/. 6.6 billion. Energy shipping and container ships drove the growth. The canal kept its maximum draft of 50 feet through the dry season and, with watershed rainfall nearing average, reinstated its last-minute reservation service for Panamax-lock vessels.
“Far from restricting trade flows, the Panama Canal facilitates international maritime trade,” said Administrator Ilya Espino de Marotta.
Source
- American Journal of Transportation: “Panama Canal reports growth in transits and tonnage in fiscal year 2026” (22 October 2026)
File photo: a Neopanamax ship at the Agua Clara locks. Photo: Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz) / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
This article is a summary prepared by Maritime News BD from the report(s) listed above; it was not independently reported by Maritime News BD.
