The Superyacht Captain’s Guide to Transiting the Panama Canal

A shortcut, saving about 8,000 nautical miles, between the prime yachting destinations of the Pacific Ocean and those of the Caribbean Sea, the Panama Canal is one of the world’s most important waterways. Cutting across the narrowest point of the Central American isthmus, today it sees over 12,500 ships pass along its 80 km length annually. At shipping agent Norton Lilly International, we deal with 19% of all these canal transits, from the largest cargo ships all the way down to superyachts and small leisure vessels. Norton Lilly International has operated on the Panama Canal since 1925; this long and prestigious history, as well as being a member of Experience Yacht Services alliance, means no one is better placed or more experienced in the field.

For a yacht captain, transiting the Panama Canal takes considerable planning, preparation, and paperwork, so if your itinerary calls for you to cross between the Caribbean and Pacific, Norton Lilly are the agent to help make this complex process much more straightforward.

With bilingual staff available 24/7 and offices at both ends of the canal, we will always be on hand with assistance and support throughout the process of transiting. From uploading documentation and reserving a transit slot to suppling additional crew and coordinating any required services before and after you cross, as captain you can feel secure in the knowledge that you are in safe and efficient hands.

“…the Panama Canal can represent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience first-hand one of the engineering wonders of the world surrounded by Panama’s lush tropical beauty.” Joe Walden, CEO, Norton Lilly International (Panama)

Transiting the Canal

Photo for illustrative purposes, Property of the Panama Canal Authority

Smooth transits, particularly maiden ones, benefit from forwarding planning so contacting us several months before your desired transit date will allow you to keep up to date on any delays or seasonal congestion that might affect your plans. If you have a specific date in mind for your crossing, booking and reserving the slot can be done for you at an additional cost which is calculated according to the size of the yacht. The process begins with your Norton Lilly agent gathering the necessary paperwork from you – this needs to be presented at least 96 hours before your arrival in the canal zone – and updating the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) system with the relevant details. This includes the identifications and certifications of you, your crew, and passengers, among other things.

You’ll receive instructions on what to do on your arrival in the canal zone – the Balboa anchorage in the Pacific or Cristóbal breakwater on the Atlantic side. From there, we will coordinate the necessary inspection and payment to the ACP, communicating to you the time and place that your inspection by an official admeasurer will take place. The measurements taken here will dictate the cost and the type of crossing that you will have. Once these details have been entered into the system, you will be assigned a transit date if you did not reserve one.

Panama Canal Miraflores Locks

Between now and your transit date, you can spend the time as you wish. We can coordinate any necessary servicing your vessel needs, including fuel and lube oil replenishment, fresh water, waste disposal, repairs and so on. We will be on hand throughout this period as a reassuring presence, able to answer any questions or queries that may arise.

On transit day, we will have coordinated everything to ensure the process is as smooth and efficient as possible, keeping you informed of your start time and when your pilot will arrive on board, a requirement for all vessels over 20 metres in length. If your vessel has been measured as less than 38.1 metres in length, you will have a handline transit and will not be using your engines to clear the locks; vessels over 38.1 metres can use their engines. You will also welcome a crew of professional line handlers on board, who we will source for you, who will assist with clearing the three sets of locks – two on the Pacific side of the canal, Miraflores and Pedro Miguel, and one on the Atlantic end, Gatun.

Each lock is a vast 300 metres long so, depending on the size of your yacht, you may enter with other, potentially much larger, vessels raising and falling the 26-metre difference between sea and canal level. Once through the locks you are free to motor along at a minimum speed of eight knots, crossing the huge Gatun Lake where there is plenty of wildlife to keep an eye out for – crocodiles in the water and birds and monkeys around it, and through the impressive Culebra Cut, the canal’s narrowest point.

Smaller vessels are usually scheduled to transit in the evening if they are travelling from Atlantic to Pacific; this transit takes about two days, with the second section taking place during daylight. From the Pacific to Atlantic, you are likely to transit during daylight hours and complete it in a single day depending on your speed and lock availability.

Panama, hidden gem for Superyachts

“The Panama Canal is geographically well positioned, enabling yachts to reposition between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans in about 12 hours, but it is much more than merely a logistical pathway.” Joe Walden, CEO, Norton Lilly International (Panama)

Much more than just a transit point between two great oceans, Panama is a land of irresistible wonders. A 3,000-mile coastline is split between the white sand beaches, rainbow coral reefs and paradise islands of the Caribbean and the wild, empty shores, epic marine life, and big surfing waves of the Pacific. In between is untamed jungle filled with a vast array of flora and fauna, an age-old indigenous culture, a colorful heritage, and a cosmopolitan world city in capital Panama City. All this is relatively undiscovered and easily accessed from the many picturesque anchorages dotted along both coasts. This is not a destination to simply pass through, but one that needs to be explored, something that can be easily done with Experience Yacht Services. Providing a yacht agency to give captains’ peace of mind, you’ll also benefit from itinerary design services for a unique and adventurous way to discover Panama’s hidden gems.