The ACP revealed that in Q1, there was an increase in net tonnage, total transits and transits of supers (vessels 91 feet or more in beam).

Canal Waters Time, or the average time it takes a vessel to transit the Canal - including waiting time for passage - increased, as did booking slot utilization.

However, the increase in CWT can be attributed to increased demand, the mix in size of vessels that transit the waterway, and the fact that this fiscal year there were 11 days of work on the center culvert at Gatún Locks, which reduced capacity during that time.

Additionally, the passenger vessels season which runs each year from October to May, was also at its peak during Q1.

No official accidents occurred this quarter.

These figures are based on operations from October through December of 2006, the first quarter of the ACP's 2007 fiscal year, and are compared to Q1 of fiscal year 2006.

The Authority went on to reveal that Panama Canal/Universal Measurement System (PC/UMS) tonnage increased 11.7% – to 79.9 million PC/UMS tons from 71.5 million PC/UMS tons.

In addition to a spike in tonnage, the Canal experienced an increase in traffic. Total Canal transits increased 8% – to 3,568 transits from 3,299. Moreover, transits of supers, or larger ships that require greater time and navigation skills to transit the Canal, increased 14.6% – to 1,968 transits from 1,718.

“These metrics illustrate that demand for the Canal is steadily increasing, particularly among tankers, container vessels, vehicle carriers and refrigerated cargo,” observed ACP’s Acting Director of Maritime Operations, Captain Arcelio Hartley.

He continued:

“It is clear that the value of the Panama Canal increases as demand rises, services improve and investment continues.”