Panama Canal tonnage reached a record 521 million PC/UMS tons in fiscal 2026, up 6.5% on the previous year. The result surpassed the 518 million recorded in 2022, while the Panama Canal Authority reported higher traffic and revenue.
For the fiscal year covering October 2025 to September 2026, the canal recorded 13,951 vessel passages against 13,404 a year earlier, a 4.1% increase. The previous annual tonnage total was 489.2 million PC/UMS tons. PC/UMS measures vessel volume rather than the physical weight of the cargo.
The authority’s annual results attributed traffic growth to energy-related shipping and container vessels. Neopanamax traffic contributed 52.2% of overall tonnage, and tonnage in this category rose 8.2%.
Revenue increased 16.6% to B/. 6.6 billion. These financial results had not yet been audited.
The authority identified changes in global trade flows as one factor behind the recovery in demand. It said vessels had been allowed a draft of up to 50 feet during the dry season. The Maritime Executive also reported a temporary increase in daily passages from 36 to 41 as demand rose.
Alongside the results, the authority brought back the Last-Minute Reservation service at the Panamax locks on 21 October 2026. Ships arriving without bookings can use the service to seek a slot, subject to spare capacity and the authority’s decision to offer it.
Advisory A-39-2026 cited water conservation at the locks. Rainfall close to the watershed average also supported the decision. The move follows earlier operational adjustments, including the postponement of planned draft reductions for Neopanamax vessels.
The advisory nevertheless warned that the watershed remained short of water. It said unreserved ships could encounter very long waits and that a guaranteed transit date still required a booking.
