Proposed cost increase to transit Panama Canal

[Sailshabby]

Via SSCA:

Effective January 1, 2020, the Panama Canal will double the minimum charge toll for small vessels, with the lowest new toll starting at $1,600. A public comment period is provided to enable concerned parties to voice their responses. Proposal and tolls of the June 2019 announcement are below:

https://tolls.panama-canal.com/pdf/T...vs4xkOUxazd83s

[Fliegerfahrer]

How much was it before?

[BobHorn]

If the charge was doubled and is now $1600, we can assume the charge was $800 before.

[nhschneider]

Glad we did our transit last November!

[GTom]

If they continue, it will be cheaper to transfer <40' boats by road.

[model 10]

Originally Posted by BobHorn

If the charge was doubled and is now $1600, we can assume the charge was $800 before.

The basic cost was about $800 but all the other little things made it more like $1200 so now it will be more like $2K for a transit.

[capt.rob]

Do you have the link for the public comment?

[hooligan6a]

It was around $800. Plus a cruising permit+or- $150. plus $200 a day for 4 line handlers, $800. Plus Bank fees plus cab fares. Plus 4 150 ft. 3/4 line and old tires. Closer to $2000 don’t forget $800 refundable deposit. You are going to need about $3000 cash. And that is for boats UNDER 50 feet.

[Rorzech]

[QUOTE=Sailshabby;2914252]Via SSCA:

Effective January 1, 2020, the Panama Canal will double the minimum charge toll for small vessels, with the lowest new toll starting at $1,600. A public comment period is provided to enable concerned parties to voice their responses. Proposal and tolls of the June 2019 announcement


They say it's because small boats make the locks use more water.
I've never seen them put just small boats in a lock. They're always stuffed in the locks with big ships.
Small boats are like fleas on a cat compared to a big ship when going through the locks.
It's just a money grab ! Not only the money, but the weeks it takes, and the royal PITA of having to put up with stupid rules like they have to come on board and measure your boat with a tape measure . What kind of nonsense is that ?
And having to rent a bunch of junkyard tires to use as bumpers that mark up your boat, never mind if they don't like your cooking (because you have to feed the crew you hire) ,they can order take-out at your expense.
In a few years boaters won't need locks, when they can go around Canada's northwest passage.
Less people will use the Canal and more will go around the horn.
Both Oceans are big enough to stay in either one for that matter. You could spend most of your time cruising the Med.
S/V Delos went around South Africa and it was a fine sail and they had a great time doing it.
If people knew what they had to put up with to go through the canal, they would never bother most of the time.
Also Panama is the lightning capitol of the world. Who wants to be sitting out in the harbour getting blasted by lightning every day for a couple of weeks ?
The list goes on and on. I wouldn't go through the Panama Canal if they paid me $2,000.00 to do it. Just Sayin'.

[DeepFrz]

Because of Climate Change they are running low on water. I was wondering when they were going to increase the price of transit. Hopefully they don't put other restrictions on cruising boats.

[Brewgyver]

"Climate Change"???
IF they are "running low on water" wouldn't it be more likely due to the fact that there are now effectively TWO CANALS?

"Climate Change" has nothing to do with it. The Climate Change Knowledge Bank, along with most other sources on the subject, forecast annual precipitation to slightly INCREASE, not decline, in Panama, along with most of Latin America, over the next eighty years. . The entire region's average rainfall has not statistically changed in the last 120 years.

I have to agree that the proposed increase is simply a way to make more money for the relatively small number of people in Panama that are already getting ALL of their income from the canal. And they are not doing poorly. Of course, the rest of the population doesn't see any of that money.

[DeepFrz]

Brewgyver, thanks very much for your well researched input. Perhaps this NY Times article from May, 2019 will be of interest.

Excerpt from the article " A severe drought in Panama has resulted in lower water levels in the Panama Canal, forcing some shippers to limit the amount of cargo their largest ships carry so they can safely navigate the waterway.".

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/17/c...ama-canal.html

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

Brewgyver, thanks very much for your well researched input. Perhaps this NY Times article from May, 2019 will be of interest.

Excerpt from the article " A severe drought in Panama has resulted in lower water levels in the Panama Canal, forcing some shippers to limit the amount of cargo their largest ships carry so they can safely navigate the waterway.".

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/17/c...ama-canal.html

Yes, absolutely, climate change probably is responsible. Climate change causes abnormal variations in weather. Just ask folks here currently in the mid-East , floods everywhere.

[moctrams]

I thought the water goes into a holding pond for the net cycle.

[waterman46]

[QUOTE=Rorzech;2914428]

Originally Posted by Sailshabby

Via SSCA:

Effective January 1, 2020, the Panama Canal will double the minimum charge toll for small vessels, with the lowest new toll starting at $1,600. A public comment period is provided to enable concerned parties to voice their responses. Proposal and tolls of the June 2019 announcement


They say it's because small boats make the locks use more water.
I've never seen them put just small boats in a lock. They're always stuffed in the locks with big ships.
Small boats are like fleas on a cat compared to a big ship when going through the locks.
It's just a money grab ! Not only the money, but the weeks it takes, and the royal PITA of having to put up with stupid rules like they have to come on board and measure your boat with a tape measure . What kind of nonsense is that ?
And having to rent a bunch of junkyard tires to use as bumpers that mark up your boat, never mind if they don't like your cooking (because you have to feed the crew you hire) ,they can order take-out at your expense.
In a few years boaters won't need locks, when they can go around Canada's northwest passage.
Less people will use the Canal and more will go around the horn.
Both Oceans are big enough to stay in either one for that matter. You could spend most of your time cruising the Med.
S/V Delos went around South Africa and it was a fine sail and they had a great time doing it.
If people knew what they had to put up with to go through the canal, they would never bother most of the time.
Also Panama is the lightning capitol of the world. Who wants to be sitting out in the harbour getting blasted by lightning every day for a couple of weeks ?
The list goes on and on. I wouldn't go through the Panama Canal if they paid me $2,000.00 to do it. Just Sayin'.

There is almost no lightening in Panama in the cruising season, and what does going around South Africa have to do with this? Assuming that was an honest mistake in your post, Cape Horn or the straights is completely out of the consideration for nearly all of us, and it would cost a lot more than $3000 for you to make that long voyage, to say nothing of the time, discomfort and danger.