Repairs to Slow Panama Transits
(trafficworld.com) Transits through the east lane of the Panama Canal will take longer than normal Aug. 19-27 due to repairs that will put the east sidewall culvert of Miraflores Locks out of service.
The Panama Canal Authority said lockages will take longer than normal since the lane will receive single culvert during the filling and spilling operation, due to the repair of six and replacement of six rising stem valves.
Condition 1.a of the waterway's Transit Reservation System will be in effect during that time. No more than eight supers may be booked for transit in the southbound direction, and of these, no more than six with "full daylight-hour" restriction.
No more than seven supers may be booked for transit in the northbound direction, and of these, no more than five with full daylight- hour restriction.
The total number of "full daylight-hour" restricted supers shall not exceed eight vessels per day, the authority stated, and no more than four regular vessels may be booked for transit in the same direction.
Of the six slots available for regular vessels, no more than two may be allocated to regular vessels transiting under restrictions.
Applications for reserved transits will be received as of 9 a.m. local time Aug. 16. The booking slot available through the auction process, as well as the slots available to regular vessels less than 300 feet in length, will continue to be offered during this period.
