Panama Canal
Meaning
The Panama Canal links the Atlantic and Pacific; its Neopanamax locks take ships up to about 15 metres draft, which rules out laden VLCCs.
Also written as Panama, Neopanamax
Panama Canal explained
The canal matters for US Gulf product exports to the west coast of Latin America and for some crude and LPG trades to Asia. Water levels in Gatun Lake can restrict draft and transit numbers in dry periods.
Related terms
Draft
Draft (or draught) is the depth of the ship below the waterline. It limits which ports, berths and canals a laden tanker can use.
Beam
Beam is the ship's width at its widest point, which matters for canal locks and some berths.
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal links the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, saving thousands of miles on Europe–Asia voyages; its draft limit is about 20 metres.