Faced with the severe drought conditions that have plagued the operations of the Panama Canal, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) highlighted on August 2 the transit from the Pacific of the Ever Max, the container ship of the greatest capacity to have navigated the waterway.
At 365.8 m (1,200ft) long and 50.9 m (167 ft) wide, the vessel has a rated cargo capacity of 17,312 TEUs, eclipsing the previous record holder, the CMA CGM Zephyr with a capacity of 16,285 TEUs.
Delivered to Taiwan’s Evergreen shipping company in June 2023, the new Ever Max weighs 160,000 dwt and has been deployed on the route between the Asian ports of Xiamen, Kaohsiung, Hong Kong, Yantian and the North American ports of Savannah, Newark , Norfolk and Baltimore.
Despite the circumstances, the ACP efficiently managed the transit of the 366-meter long Ever Max, which under normal conditions would have required the 50-foot maximum draft allowed at the Neopanamax locks.
Therefore, due to reduced water levels in Gatun Lake, the vessel transited with only 13,345 TEUs and a draft of 43 feet, one foot less than the limit of the current draft of 44 feet. To accommodate the vessel, the Ever Max temporarily unloaded 1,400 TEUs at Balboa Port, transferring them overland to Colon Container Terminal for reloading.
In a statement, Ilya Espino de Marotta, Deputy Administrator of the Panama Canal, highlighted the importance of transit, explaining how it highlights the reliability of the waterway to facilitate global trade.
“By respecting this historic transit, the efficiency and strength of the interoceanic route as a fundamental maritime transport route for world trade is evident, despite the challenges imposed by climate change,” he said.
Ricaurte Vásquez Morales, ACP Administrator, echoed this sentiment and stressed the importance of maintaining the operational conditions of the waterway.
“This unique experience should be used to demonstrate the importance of keeping the canal in optimal condition, allowing vessels like the Ever Max to transit quickly, for the benefit of everyone in Panama,” Moralies said.
After its successful passage through the Panama Canal, the Ever Max continues its eastbound voyage to ports on the US East Coast, including Savannah, Newark, Norfolk and Baltimore, before returning to Asia.
While the ACP says it hopes to maintain a draft of 44 feet in the future, including by limiting the number of daily transit, which will, of course, depend on weather conditions. Photo: ACP
