LNG carrier marks Panama Canal milestone

The expanded Panama Canal welcomed the 10,000th Neopanamax vessel on Monday, marking a new milestone for the nearly 106-year-old waterway and its growing LNG segment.

The 180,000-cbm LNG carrier SK Resolute marked the milestone travelling southbound from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.

This marked the Total-chartered vessel’s thirteenth transit through the waterway as it transports the fuel from Cheniere’s Sabine Pass terminal in the US.

It travels between the US east coast to South Korea and Japan, as well as from Chile and back, Panama Canal said.

Constructed in 2018, the vessel measures 292 meters in length and 47.8 meters in beam.

A joint venture consisting of Japan’s Marubeni and Soutk Korea’s SK Shipping owns the LNG carrier.

“The two historic milestones this week – our 10,000th Neopanamax transit and 106th anniversary – are symbolic,” said Panama Canal Administrator Ricaurte Vasquez.

“Together, they reiterate that the Panama Canal is not only a trusted and reliable service, but also one committed to continued competitiveness and growth,” he said.

LNG carriers started transiting the waterway for the first time following the inauguration of the expanded canal in 2016.

With significant reductions in voyage time, it has since offered a highly competitive route for US gas deliveries to major Asian importers.

As a result, the expanded canal’s LNG segment now represents 12 percent of transits, surpassed only by containerships with 46 percent and LPG with 25 percent.

This also led the Neopanamax Locks to see 27 percent of transits and half of total tonnage at the canal today.

- Advertisements -

Most Popular

VTTI, IKAV to take majority stake in Italy’s Adriatic LNG terminal

Rotterdam-based storage terminal owner VTTI, co-owned by Vitol, IFM, and Adnoc, joined forces with German asset manager IKAV to...

Seapeak says working on charter and other opportunities for six LNG carriers

Stonepeak's Seapeak is pursuing various opportunities relating to six of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers which are scheduled...

Deutsche ReGas: Mukran FSRU welcomes first LNG tanker

LNG terminal operator Deutsche ReGas has received the first LNG tanker at its FSRU-based LNG import facility in Germany’s...

More News Like This

Crowley plans to launch Panama Canal LNG bunkering ops in 2024

US shipping and logistics company Crowley plans to start providing liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering services on the Pacific...

Panama Canal says LNG transits jump in fiscal 2021

The Panama Canal said LNG carrier transits rose 28.2 percent in the fiscal year ending September 31, boosted by...

Panama Canal hits new LNG record

The Panama Canal set a new monthly record for transits and tonnage of LNG vessels in January, as US...

Duo inks LNG trucking deal for Panama and Costa Rica

Colon LNG Marketing and Tropigas Natural signed a deal to distribute LNG via trucks in Panama and Costa Rica. Under...