The Panama Canal expansion project is expected to begin operations in early 2016 after legal disputes delayed the project. The new locks will allow larger ships up to 180,000 DWT to transit the canal, influencing trade routes for container ships, tankers, and bulk carriers. Ship owners must assess whether to upgrade existing fleets to meet the new vessel size requirements and take advantage of expanded canal operations. Proper planning is needed to upgrade ships during regular surveys to prepare fleets for increased trade opportunities once the new locks open.

1. The ambitious Panama Canal expansion project, as per latest update, is expected to start operations within
the 1st
quarter of 2016 after several legal disputes that delayed the project.
Despite that shipping and commodities players estimate that the new set of locks will mostly influence Asian-
American container trade routes, tanker and bulker routes are also expected to be considerably affected, since
partially loaded vessels of up to 180,000 DWT (capesize bulkers and suezmax tankers) will be able to transit
the new enlarged Canal1
.
Existing Panamax ships New Panamax ships
Length 294.13 m 366 m
Beam 32.31 m 49 m
Draft (TFW) 12.04 m 15.2 m
TEU Approx. 5,000 Approx. 13,000
Maximum vessels dimensions able to transit the new locks as provided by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP)
In this respect, it is essential for Owners and Operators to assess the benefits of such chartering prospects and
decide whether to upgrade their existing fleet of vessels in order to grasp this opportunity and make their fleet
“ready” and capable to transit the expanded Panama Canal, immediately once the new locks are delivered.
It should be noted that such vessel upgrade is already being implemented in new buildings, as well as existing
vessels which meet the new requirements. It is also important that the upgrade on existing ships should be
timely prepared and scheduled during ship’s regular (intermediate/ special) Class surveys in order to meet
their full chartering potential.
Owners and Operators wishing to upgrade
their existing post panamax vessels in order
to meet the requirements of the expanded
Panama Canal, need to comply with OP
NOTICE TO SHIPPING N-1-2014 Rev.1
available for download in the ACP website.
1
U.S. Department of Transportation (Maritime Administration), “Panama Canal Expansion Study Phase 1 Report:
Developments in Trade and National and Global Economies”, Nov. 2013

2. An easy-to-use bullet points list can be found by clicking on the following link in our website:
http://www.streamlined.gr/new-panama-canal-vessel-requirements/
Streamlined Naval Architects Ltd. can assist Owners and Operators by:
 Assessing the existing arrangements of ships and identifying items required to be modified or/and
added.
 Preparing the vessel’s new mooring arrangement in compliance with the ACP requirements and
submitting it to ACP for approval.
 Designing relevant construction and outfitting drawings, submission to Classification Society and
follow-up, always bearing in mind minimum modifications required to reduce the associated retrofit
cost.
Fig. 2: FEA analysis for assessing the structural integrity of the underdeck stiffeners.