GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Aug 28, 2026
Panamax
Before fixing a vessel, a charterer checks whether it fits through the original locks of the Panama Canal – and that limit is exactly what Panamax describes.
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Source: Panama Canal Authority (ACP), Vessel Requirements; Frachtportal-News «Panamakanal kürzt Slots» (27.08.2026)
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Situation hub: Panama Canal
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Definition & Explanation
Before fixing a vessel, a charterer checks whether it fits through the original locks of the Panama Canal – and that limit is exactly what Panamax describes. Panamax is the size class of ships that can just pass the original 1914 locks of the Panama Canal: up to roughly 294.13 metres length overall, 32.31 metres beam and 12.04 metres draft in tropical fresh water. For container ships this equates to roughly 4,000 to 5,000 TEU; in dry bulk it corresponds to the classic Panamax bulker of some 60,000 to 80,000 deadweight tonnes. The class shaped shipbuilding for decades and still has its own share of the daily transit slots allocated by the Panama Canal Authority. Not to be confused with Neopanamax, the larger class for the locks opened in 2016.
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Situation
Situation hub: Panama Canal
Chokepoint, ACP slot source, alternatives — no unsourced daily figures.
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