Panama Canal Adds a Tenth Neopanamax Slot from October 15, Draft Limit Rises to 49 Feet

The Panama Canal Authority confirmed on September 28, in navigation advisory A-36-2026, that the canal's daily capacity will step up again in mid-October. From October 15, the Neopanamax locks will offer ten booking slots per day instead of nine, bringing total daily transits across both lock systems back to 33. The authority credited near-average September rainfall across the watershed, working water-saving measures at the locks, and Gatun Lake levels that now sit slightly above the ten-year average.

The second change took effect immediately: the maximum authorized draft for Neopanamax vessels rises from 48 to 49 feet (14.94 meters). For container ships, every additional foot of draft translates into several hundred more loaded TEU per sailing, which directly dilutes per-box cost for heavy cargo such as building materials, machinery and steel products.

Booking rules are loosening in parallel. Since September 29, for transit dates on or after October 15, the per-customer daily and weekly slot caps have been removed and consecutive-date bookings are permitted. Slots won through the daily auction no longer count toward segment limits. Within the ten Neopanamax slots, container ships are guaranteed at least six per day and LPG carriers at least three, with unused allocation redistributed to other vessel types under a set priority order.

Why this is not a full green light

The authority's own language stays cautious. The watershed deficit has not been resolved, and the transit reservation system remains the only way to secure a firm transit date; vessels arriving without a booking can still face indefinite delays. Cost is moving the other way as well: MSC has announced a Panama Canal emergency surcharge effective October 19. More capacity and new surcharges arriving at the same time is a familiar pattern in this market — the relief is real, but it is not free.

For shippers routing cargo to the US East Coast or Gulf via the all-water service, the next four to six weeks should bring better space availability and schedule stability. This window may not last long if the dry season bites early, so comparing rates and confirming that your carrier holds a transit booking is worth doing now rather than in December. On quotes, ask for canal-related surcharges to be itemized separately from base ocean freight.

Yufeng International Logistics runs dedicated services to the US East Coast, Gulf and Latin America with FCL and LCL options and pickup from every prefecture-level city in China — see our Americas line page.

Sources: reported by Xinhua, Panama Canal Authority advisory A-36-2026 and DatamarNews.