China Cosco Shipping has won the draw for the first transit through the Expanded Panama Canal during the waterway’s inauguration on Sunday, 26 June.
The shipping line’s container vessel Andronikos will be making the inaugural transit. The vessel, which has a maximum capacity of 9400 teu, is 8.25 metres in beam and 299.98 metres in length.
In addition, more than 100 Neopanamax ships have already made reservations for commercial transit through the new locks, which will begin on 27 June, following the inauguration.
Official Draw
The ship was chosen through an official draw, which took place 29 April at the Panama Canal Administration Building. The Norwegian/Swedish shipping line Wallenius Wilhemsen Lines (WWL) and the Chinese shipping line China Cosco Shipping participated in the draw. WWL participated with the car carrier Thalatta. The car carrier, which has a maximum capacity of 8000 ceu (car equivalent units), is 36.5 metres in beam and 199.97 metres in length.
First Commercial Transit
The first commercial transit reservation was granted to a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker Linden Pride of Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK Line), represented by shipping agent Norton Lilly International (Panama), S.A. The vessel has a length of 754.59 feet and a beam of 120.08 feet.
Picture: The expanded Panama Canal (by the Panama Canal Authority).
