On Sunday, 26 June, the 9,472 TEU Cosco Shipping Panama was the first Panamax-plus container vessel to transit the Panama Canal. Opening some three years late, at a cost in excess of U.S. $ 5.25 billion, the new locks give container ships (neo-panamax) carrying approximately 13,000 TEU's all-water access from Asia to the important US East Coast ports and inland markets.