The Panama Canal Authority is seeking a Suezmax tanker on a three-month time charter starting next January for training purposes in the Atlantic Panama Canal waters, according to a ship-broker’s report received late Tuesday. This is an expensive but necessary training exercise.

The three-month time charter should include an option to extend the charter period for an additional three months, the report added.

The maximum age of the vessel should be 10 years, length 366 meters with the beam at 49 m, and preferably Panama flagged.
It is intended to be used to train pilots, tug masters and line handlers.

The vessel is expected to operate in waters with a maximum draft of 15.2 m and between the Atlantic inner anchorage inside the Cristobal breakwater and Gatun lake, utilizing the new locks, the report said.

Currently, the Suezmax time charter rate for one year is $35,000/day, a South Korea-based ship-broker said, adding that a short-term time charter would attract $45,000/day or higher.