Panama Canal extends maximum allowable length for vessels

PANAMA CITY - The Panama Canal increased the length allowed in its expanded locks for the passage of vessels between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) said on Tuesday.

In a statement, the ACP said that since last month, the length of vessels from bow to stern, has been extended to 370.33 from 367.28 meters.

The increase means that a large part of the world's container-carrying fleet will be able to transit the canal and shorten their maritime routes, with benefits to the world's economies, according to the ACP.

The announcement comes after a series of transit tests were conducted to confirm the operation's safety, said the ACP.

The government agency also increased the draft for ships to 15.24 meters, the largest level allowed in the interoceanic waterway.

These efforts will promote a reduction in fuel consumption by shortening ships' travel distance and increasing the capacity of the canal, the ACP said.

The agency said it also plans to reduce its own carbon footprint by achieving carbon neutrality by the end of the decade.