Ship&Offshore | Issue 04/2014
Panama Canal expansion prompts bigger ship designs
CONTAINER SHIPPING Starting in 2016, the enlarged Panama Canal will allow the passage of vessels with a maximum length, breadth and draught of 366m x 49m x 15.2m, respectively. The old limits of 294m x 32m x 12m have thus lost their relevance as crucial design criteria. Regardless of possible further delays in expansion of the artificial seaway, a number of container vessel newbuildings either wider than the old lock breadth or designed to meet the new maximum have already entered service, writes Ralf Witthohn in the current edition of our series “Innovative Vessels”.