Panama Canal
CanalPanama
The Panama Canal is an 82 km lock-based canal across the Isthmus of Panama, connecting the Caribbean Sea (Atlantic) to the Pacific Ocean. It opened in 1914 and was expanded in 2016 to handle Neopanamax vessels.
Why the Panama Canal matters
The Panama Canal is the key shortcut between Asia and the US East Coast and between the two American seaboards, sparing ships the long passage around Cape Horn. Its locks are fed by the freshwater Gatún Lake, which makes transit capacity sensitive to droughts: low water levels force draft limits and daily transit caps, pushing carriers toward the Suez alternative or US intermodal rail. Slot auctions and queue times at the canal are a direct input into transpacific routing decisions.
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Major shipping routes via the Panama Canal
570 of our covered port-to-port routes transit the Panama Canal. The most significant ones, ranked by carrier coverage at both ends:
| Route | Distance |
|---|---|
| Shanghai New York | 10,683 nm |
| Qingdao New York | 10,695 nm |
| Hong Kong New York | 11,360 nm |
| Shanghai Montreal | 11,988 nm |
| Hamburg Port of Los Angeles | 8,082 nm |
| Ningbo New York | 10,736 nm |
| Antwerpen Port of Los Angeles | 7,809 nm |
| Kaohsiung New York | 11,110 nm |
| Shanghai Veracruz | 10,124 nm |
| Shanghai Cartagena | 8,982 nm |
| Hamburg Port of Vancouver | 9,317 nm |
| Antwerpen Port of Vancouver | 9,044 nm |
| Shanghai Rio Haina | 9,523 nm |
| Hamburg Callao | 6,494 nm |
| Qingdao Montreal | 11,999 nm |
Frequently asked questions
What does the Panama Canal connect?
The Panama Canal connects the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Bordering countries: Panama.
How many shipping routes use the Panama Canal?
Among the 4950 port-to-port routes covered by Seadex, 570 transit the Panama Canal.
Why is the Panama Canal strategically important?
The Panama Canal is the key shortcut between Asia and the US East Coast and between the two American seaboards, sparing ships the long passage around Cape Horn. Its locks are fed by the freshwater Gatún Lake, which makes transit capacity sensitive to droughts: low water levels force draft limits and daily transit caps, pushing carriers toward the Suez alternative or US intermodal rail. Slot auctions and queue times at the canal are a direct input into transpacific routing decisions.