In a major development, the Panama Canal Authority’s board of directors has announced that they have approved a proposal to modify the Panama Canal tolls system and the regulation for the measurement of vessels, to be effective Jan. 1, 2020, writes Seatrade Cruise News Editor, Anne Kalosh.
Passenger ship fees are going up?
For passenger ships, the measurement would change from the maximum berth capacity to the maximum passenger capacity. According to the Panama Canal Authority, this would add transparency to the structure and facilitate the transfer of the Canal transit cost to the final customer.
- The tariff per passenger would increase 3% on ships laden and 2% in ballast in the Panamax locks and $12 in the neo-Panamax locks.
- The tariff per PC/UMS tons will increase 5% on ships laden and in ballast in the Panamax locks and go up 26% in the neo-Panamax locks. There are changes at various passenger count tiers.
- For example, a laden Panamax ship of 91,740gt/81,188 PC/UMS tons, with a maximum passenger capacity of 3,000 and a PC/UMS tonnage divided by the maximum passenger capacity of 27, would pay $438,000.00 ($146 x 3,000).
- However, since it falls in the range of 3,000 to 3,999 passengers, it would pay the minimum fee established of $452,849.
- A laden neo-Panamax ship of 113,562gt/92,592 PC/UMS tons, with a maximum passenger capacity of 3,754 and a PC/UMS tonnage divided by the maximum passenger capacity ratio of 25, would pay $166 per passenger, resulting in a bill of $623,164.
Correspondence by July 15, hearing July 24
Interested parties are invited to participate in the consultation and public hearing of the proposal. During the consultation period, interested parties may present data, opinions and statements in writing, and/or participate in the public hearing, directly or through representatives.
The Panama Canal Authority said it will consider correspondence received until 4:15 p.m. local time, July 15, and comments and opinions presented during the public hearing, scheduled for July 24.
The last Panama Canal toll structure modification went into effect nearly two years ago, on Oct. 1, 2017.
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Source: Seatrade Cruise News
