Shipping pressure around the Panama Canal has increased as energy carriers reroute around disruptions elsewhere and compete with container ships for limited transit capacity, according to a Reuters Open Interest analysis published September 17.
The analysis reported that a liquefied petroleum gas carrier recently paid more than $5 million as an auction premium for a priority transit slot, separate from the canal’s normal toll.
Its assessment of a potentially larger shipping squeeze is analysis, not a guaranteed outcome. The reported auction payment is a particular transaction, not the standard price for every ship.