Passage Planning Guide Panama Canal 2024-25 ed.

Passage Planning Guide: Panama Canal and Approaches (PPG - Panama 2024-2025 Edition) This Guide details the requirements and preparations for Masters and Navigating Officers on vessels intending to transit the Panamax or Neopanamax locks of the Panama Canal. Passage Planning Guide: Panama Canal (2024-25 Edition) is the most comprehensive operational and navigational Guide to the Panama Canal. The goal for Ship Operators, Masters and the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), is that vessels arrive fully prepared to transit and with no unnecessary delays. This Guide will help operators achieve that goal. As an example, in 2024, sophisticated tankers are still arriving for canal transit with mooring wires presented on arrival for transit, rather than the synthetic mooring lines that are required under ACP's 'Vessel Requirements', Section 9 Mooring Lines. This Guide provides emphasis on: The documentary submissions required by the Master The operational aspects of a transit of the Panama Canal The navigational elements and necessary contingencies. Shipmasters will know that a canal transit means a very long day and that are any number of potentials for stress, surprise and unexpected or unannounced occurrences. This Guide is the best available tool to prepare the Master and their officers for a successful transit, by instilling in them the knowledge and confidence necessary for proper preparation and the high level of situational awareness and readiness required for each stage of the transit. The Panama Canal is a controlled and managed waterway that connects the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans, at the Isthmus of Panama. While the Canal is strictly governed, and pilotage is compulsory, it is also extremely busy and requires that ships 'officers are fully familiar with what is required from the ship in order to ensure a safe and timely transit of the Canal. The Canal is regulated and managed by the Autoridad del Canal de Panama (ACP) (the Panama Canal Authority). The Canal is open for commercial operations 24 hours per day and all communications are conducted in the language of English, both on the bridge and between ships. Although the Atlantic Ocean is geographically to the North and East of the Canal and the Pacific Ocean is to the South and West of the Canal, due to its winding shape the terms 'Northbound' and 'Southbound' are used for simplicity of communications, eg 'Southbound' refers to a passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.