THE expanded Panama Canal welcomed a record 403.8 million Panama Canal tonnes (PC/UMS) of cargo in its 2017 fiscal year ended September 30, representing an increase of 22.2 per cent compared to FY2016.
A total of 13,548 vessels transited the canal during FY17, up 3.3 per cent year on year, according to data from canal authorities.
"This year's success is a testament to the expanded canal's success," said Panama Canal Administrator Jorge Quijano in a statement. "These record figures reflect not only the industry's confidence in the expanded canal, but also illustrate the Panama Canal's continued ability to transform the global economy and revitalise the maritime industry."
The Panama Canal currently serves 29 major liner services, including 15 Neopanamax liner services, primarily on the US east coast to Asia trade route.
The container segment continued to serve as the leading market segment of tonnage through the canal, accounting for 35.3 per cent of the total cargo received. This equated to a total of 143 million tonnes PC/UMS, of which 89.1 million tonnes transited the expanded canal.
In FY17, the main routes using the Panama Canal were between Asia and the US east coast (34 per cent), the west coast of South America and the US east coast (13 per cent), the west coast of South America and Europe (seven per cent), the west coast of Central America and the US east coast (seven per cent) and intercoastal South America (five per cent).