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Panama Canal keeps the industry guessing

Recent ‘extra’ transits of LNG through the Panama Canal have surprised the market, which had lower expectations for the waterway Recent ‘extra’ transits of LNG through the Panama Canal have surprised the market, which had lower expectations for the waterway.
By The Wildcat 11 May 2018 0 30814
A Neopanamax vessel on the expanded Panama Canal A Neopanamax vessel on the expanded Panama Canal.(PCA)

How much LNG can pass through the Panama Canal? Recent events suggest that the industry might as well guess the length of a piece of string. 

There is one slot per day reserved for LNG tankers, whether the vessel is laden or empty. The Panama Canal Authority (PCA) confirmed as much to Interfax Natural Gas Daily earlier this month. 

However, it is a quota system with ad hoc flexibility. The PCA added that “multiple LNG vessels per day” could transit the Central American waterway if there was...