Panama Canal
Atlantic ↔ Pacific · the 82 km shortcut that ~5% of world trade and ~40% of US container traffic depend on.
Open the live Panama Canal tracker
See every vessel currently transiting the Panama Canal, with sanctioned vessels highlighted in red.
Launch live map →How many ships pass through the Panama Canal each day?
Roughly 35 to 40 vessels per day on average — about 13,000 to 14,000 a year — though drought in Gatún Lake can temporarily reduce the daily slots. Live composition by vessel type and real-time density are on our tracker.
Why the Panama Canal matters
The Panama Canal carries about 5% of global maritime trade and roughly 40% of all US container traffic — containerised goods between Asia and the US East Coast, plus LPG, LNG, grain and vehicle traffic. It links the Atlantic and Pacific across the narrowest point of the Americas; the only alternative is rounding Cape Horn, about 8,000 nautical miles and two weeks longer.
Geography
The canal is an 82-kilometre waterway across the Isthmus of Panama, connecting the Caribbean (Atlantic) to the Pacific through a system of locks and the artificial Gatún Lake. Ships are lifted about 26 metres above sea level and lowered again — a freshwater lock system, which is why rainfall and lake levels directly govern capacity.
Dimensions and constraints
Two lock systems operate in parallel: the original 1914 Panamax locks (vessels up to 294 m long, 32.3 m beam, 12 m draft) and the 2016 Neopanamax expansion (up to 366 m long, 51.25 m beam, 15.2 m draft). Because the locks draw fresh water from Gatún Lake, drought — as in 2023–2024 — forces draft limits and fewer daily transits.
About the data
Vessel positions come from aggregated terrestrial and satellite AIS, de-duplicated across multiple providers. The public feed is delayed approximately 60 to 180 seconds from broadcast. Commercial users with a paid plan get full vessel detail — voyage history, draught classification, sanctions context, ownership chain.
Frequently asked questions
How many ships pass through the Panama Canal each day?
Around 35 to 40 commercial vessels transit the Panama Canal on a normal day — roughly 13,000 to 14,000 a year. Drought in Gatún Lake can temporarily cut the daily slots, as it did in 2023–2024. Traffic is a mix of container ships, LPG and LNG carriers, bulk carriers, vehicle carriers, and tankers.
Is the Panama Canal currently open?
Yes. Our live tracker shows current vessel positions in real time. The canal operates year-round; a severe drought in 2023–2024 reduced the number of daily transit slots to conserve fresh water in Gatún Lake, but capacity has since recovered.
Why is the Panama Canal so important?
It carries about 5% of global maritime trade and roughly 40% of all US container traffic, linking the Atlantic and Pacific. Without it, ships would round Cape Horn — about 8,000 nautical miles and two weeks longer.
What types of ships transit the Panama Canal?
Container ships dominate (Asia to US East Coast), alongside LPG and LNG carriers, dry-bulk carriers (grain, coal, ores), vehicle carriers, and tankers. The 2016 Neopanamax locks accommodate vessels up to 366 m long and 51.25 m in beam.
How big are the Panama Canal locks?
The original 1914 Panamax locks take vessels up to 294 m long, 32.3 m beam and 12 m draft. The 2016 Neopanamax expansion added larger locks for ships up to 366 m long, 51.25 m beam and 15.2 m draft. The locks are fed by fresh water from Gatún Lake, which is why drought directly limits how many ships can transit.
Why does the Panama Canal matter for sanctions monitoring?
Panama operates the world's largest ship registry — a flag of convenience heavily used by dark-fleet and sanctioned tonnage — and the canal is a global chokepoint where flagged tankers can be spotted in transit. Our sanctioned-vessel overlay highlights any flagged vessel currently transiting — useful for compliance, bunker, and insurance teams.
Other chokepoints we cover
Strait Up Maritime tracks seven maritime chokepoints. Same dataset, same sanctioned overlay, same 60-second refresh.