The Panama Canal reported a 4.1% increase in transits in the 2026 fiscal year that ran between October 1, 2025 and September 30, 2026.
According to an October 21 release, the Panama Canal handled 13,951 transit in FY2026, compared to 13,404 in FY2025, driven by strong performance from energy and container ship segments. Tonnage through the canal also rose by 6.5% year-over-year, with vessels moving through Neopanamax locks accounting for 52% of that total.
"This growth reflects the increasing share of larger-capacity vessels using the waterway," the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) said.
Despite concerns over drought conditions brought on by the arrival of Super El Niño, the canal was stabilized by shifts in international trade flows, as carriers sought alternative routes for energy shipments that were blocked off from the Strait of Hormuz. That helped fuel a 16.6% increase in revenue, with increased demand for the waterway driving record auction prices for priority transit slots.
Although the canal had initially cut transits and limit vessel drafts in anticipation of drier weather, the ACP rolled back those restrictions in late September, following the return of rainfall to the canal's watershed. At the time, the ACP also credited effective water saving measures implemented in the locks for contributing to its decision.
