The Panama Canal Authority proposes to modify the toll structure for passenger ships by eliminating the billing unit on a per berth basis.

Instead, tolls will be based solely on the Panama Canal Universal Measurement System (PC/UMS) of capacity, which has historically been used in the waterway, Administrator Ricaurte Vásquez Morales said.

The new schedule would take effect Feb. 1, following a virtual public comment period open until 4:15 p.m. local time Oct. 1, with a virtual public hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. Oct. 5.

PC/UMS rates

Under the proposal, for the panamax locks, the first 10,000 PC/UMS tons for a laden passenger vessel would be billed at $4.75 per ton, the next 10,000 at $4.65 and the rest at $4.58. For the neo-panamax locks, the first 10,000 PC/UMS tons for a laden passenger vessel would be billed at $5.08 per ton, the next 10,000 at $4.98 and the rest at $4.90.

So, for example, a laden panamax passenger ship of 45,800 PC/UMS tons, with a maximum berth capacity of 1,840, would pay $212,164 ($4.75 x 10,000 = $ 47,500, $4.65 x 10,000 = $ 46,500, $4.58 x 25,800 = $118,164).

A laden panamax passenger ship of 78,000 PC/UMS tons, with a maximum berth capacity of 2,800, would pay $359,640. A ship of 92,500 PC/UMS tons, with a maximum berth capacity of 3,600, would pay $455,850.

And a laden neopanamax passenger ship of 92,500 PC/UMS tons, with a maximum berth capacity of 3,600, would pay $455,850.

The complete proposal is available here.

Current tolls structure

The current tolls structure, in place since April 2016, has a $138 tariff per berth for a laden vessel in the panamax locks and $148 per berth for a laden vessel in the neo-panamax locks with the same PC/UMS tons charges per 10,000 as listed above.

Vessels above 30,000gt and whose PC/UMS tonnage divided by the maximum passenger capacity ratio is less than or equal to 33 pay tolls on a per passenger basis. If the ratio is greater than 33, tolls are paid on the PC/UMS basis. Vessels 30,000gt or under pay tolls on the PC/UMS basis.

Whether tolls will change depends

There would be no change for vessels of 30,000gt or less under the new structure since they already pay based on PC/UMS tonnage.

The ship of 45,800 PC/UMS tons with maximum berth capacity of 1,840 would see a reduction. It has a ratio under 33 and therefore, in the panamax locks, currently pays tolls on a passenger basis, or $253,920, more than the $212,164 under the proposed new structure.

Likewise, the ship of 92,500 PC/UMS tons with a capacity of 3,600 would pay a lower rate. It, too, has a ratio under 33 so, in the panamax locks it currently pays on a passenger basis, $496,800, higher than the $455,850 in the new structure.

For a ship like Norwegian Bliss,168,000gt with 4,903 passenger capacity, going through the neo-panamax locks, the ratio is greater than 33 so it would pay on the basis of PC/UMS tonnage — therefore. presumably no change under the new proposal.
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