The Panama Canal has announced temporary modifications to its Transit Reservation (Booking) System for Neopanamax vessels. It is aimed at providing customers with greater flexibility, improving the distribution, and encouraging the efficient use of water resources.
The adjustments reflect the Panama Canal’s continued commitment to its customers and to providing a safe, reliable, and efficient service. Developed following careful consideration of customer feedback and current operating conditions, the measures are designed to respond more effectively to customers’ evolving needs while preserving the predictability and operational standards on which the maritime industry relies.
The changes took effect on August 30, 2026, for booking dates beginning September 13, 2026.
Greater flexibility
Under the revised rules, Neopanamax customers will be permitted to obtain more than one reservation slot for the same booking date. They will be permitted to obtain slots for two or more consecutive booking dates. These modifications temporarily remove certain restrictions established under Advisory A-28-2026.
A total of 63 Neopanamax reservation slots will be offered each week. This includes slots allocated through the Long-Term Slot Allocation (LoTSA) and NetZero programs.
Customers will also retain flexibility to swap or substitute vessels following the allocation of a slot. The replacement vessel must have the same or greater Transit TEU Allowance (TTA) capacity. All applicable customer limits must also be respected. Vessels operating under alliances or vessel-sharing agreements may also participate in eligible swaps or substitutions. These transactions must not result in a customer exceeding the maximum number of slots allowed.
Booking date changes may likewise be permitted when they do not result in a customer exceeding the maximum number of applicable slots.
Supporting fair access
The revised system establishes minimum allocations across the Panama Canals principal market segments to help ensure broad access to available reservation capacity.
For Full Container vessels a minimum of five slots per booking date will be allocated. Distribution will be based on vessel TTA capacity. LPG vessels will receive a minimum of three slots per booking date based on customer ranking. LNG vessels also receive three slots based on customer ranking.
When demand in a particular market segment is insufficient to fill all available slots, the remaining capacity will be allocated to other eligible segments according to the redistribution order established in the advisory. Any remaining slots will continue to be available during the applicable booking period until assigned to an interested customer.
This approach is intended to reduce the risk of available capacity going unused while maintaining defined allocation criteria across different customer groups.
Competition and allocation
The Panama Canal will continue applying transparent criteria to the allocation process.
Customer slot limits may be exceeded only when no other customer within the same market segment is competing for the available capacity. Slots awarded through the auction process are not subject to the customer limit.
The daily auction slot will continue to be made available from the remaining capacity of the market segment competitions at the opening of Booking Period 3.
While the water deficit in the canal watershed continues, customers are strongly encouraged to plan transits through the reservation system. A confirmed reservation remains the only means of guaranteeing a specific transit date. Vessels arriving without a reservation may experience delays depending on demand and available capacity.
The measures contribute to the Panama Canal’s continuing effort to balance reliable service to customers, equitable access to available transit capacity, and responsible management of the canal watershed. These modifications do not alter the Panama Canal’s commitment to maintaining safe and efficient canal operations. They provide additional commercial flexibility while allowing the Panama Canal to respond prudently to prevailing water conditions.
