CONTAINERSHIP MSC Marie broke a record in the Panama Canal this past week, becoming the largest vessel by TEU capacity ever to transit the waterway.
Liberian-flagged MSC Marie transited the canal’s locks on 30 August. The ship is 366 metres long, 51 metres wide and has a maximum capacity of 17,640 TEU.
The record was previously held by Ever Max, which transited with a capacity of 17,312 TEU in August last year.
“The arrival of the MSC Marie in Panama, coming from the port of Manzanillo in Mexico, not only highlights the canal’s ability to handle the largest and most modern ships, but also its importance as a key hub in global trade,” the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) said.
The milestone follows the gradual easing of restrictions in the Panama Canal, imposed during 2023 drought conditions which caused Gatun Lake water levels to drop.
ACP has been increasing the number of daily transit slots throughout this year as water levels improve.
ACP announced on 15 August that the maximum draught for vessels transiting the Neopanamax locks had increased to 50 feet (15.24 metres) based on projected water levels in the weeks that followed.
And, on 1 September, the total number of daily reserved slots increased to 36, with a distribution of 10 slots for Neoanamax vessels and 26 for Panamax vessels.
