Container Ship Chosen for First Transit of Expanded Panama Canal
A 985-foot container ship, China COSCO Shipping's Andronikos, won an April 29 drawing and will be the first vessel to travel through the expanded Panama Canal when it opens on Sunday, June 26.
A 985-foot container ship, China COSCO Shipping's Andronikos, won an April 29 drawing and will be the first vessel to travel through the expanded Panama Canal when it opens on Sunday, June 26. The ship has a maximum capacity of 9,400 TEUs, according to the Panama Canal Authority, which reported more than 100 Neopanamax ships have made reservations for commercial transit through the new locks starting June 27.
The Norwegian/Swedish shipping line Wallenius Wilhemsen Lines and the Chinese shipping line China COSCO Shipping participated in the drawing. "It is a great honor to have one of our top customers celebrate this historical moment with us," said Panama Canal Administrator Jorge L. Quijano. "We are excited and prepared to continue providing the same reliable and efficient service within the Expanded Panama Canal that our customers have come to expect through the years."
The winner will incur in all costs associated with the transit, including booking fees and other marine services.
The first commercial transit reservation was granted to the liquefied petroleum gas tanker LINDEN PRIDE of Nippon Yusen Kaisha, wihchl has a length of 754.59 feet and a beam of 120.08 feet.