CANAL · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND CHARTERERS
The Panama Canal
The Panama Canal lifts ships through locks between the Atlantic at Colón and the Pacific at Balboa. Transits are booked in advance, and the draught allowed depends on Gatun Lake's level. On Shanghai to New York it saves 1,717 nm: 10,669 nm through it, 12,387 nm without.
Voyages through the Panama Canal
Real voyages NaviBoss plans through the Panama Canal, and the distance when the planner's padlock shuts it.
| Voyage | Through it | Without it | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai to New York | 10,669 nm | 12,387 nm | +1,717 nm |
| Shanghai to Houston | 10,238 nm | 13,974 nm | +3,736 nm |
| Cebu to Houston | 10,911 nm | 13,147 nm | +2,236 nm |
Navigational warnings
The Panama Canal is in NAVAREA IV. Keep its in-force warnings, and check the local notices and the vessel traffic service before the transit.
Questions about the Panama Canal
Where is the Panama Canal?
The Panama Canal lifts ships through locks between the Atlantic at Colón and the Pacific at Balboa. Transits are booked in advance, and the draught allowed depends on Gatun Lake's level. NaviBoss places it at about 09°07.0′N 079°47.2′W, in NAVAREA IV.
How much distance does the Panama Canal save?
On Shanghai to New York, 1,717 nm: 10,669 nm through the Panama Canal against 12,387 nm without it. At 14 knots that is about 5.1 days.
Which voyages go through the Panama Canal?
For example Shanghai to New York, Shanghai to Houston and Cebu to Houston.
Is the Panama Canal in a piracy or war-risk area?
Not as of the date on this page: it lies in no ITF/IBF warlike area, JWC listed area or piracy hotspot that NaviBoss draws.
Other canals and straits
- Suez Canal
- Kiel Canal
- Corinth Canal
- Strait of Gibraltar
- Strait of Dover
- Bab el-Mandeb
- Strait of Hormuz
- Malacca Strait
- Singapore Strait
- Sunda Strait
- Makassar Strait
- Torres Strait
- Taiwan Strait
- Tsugaru Strait
- Bosporus
- Dardanelles
- Øresund (The Sound)
- Strait of Messina
- Strait of Sicily
- Strait of Bonifacio
- Cape of Good Hope
- Strait of Magellan
- Bass Strait
- Windward Passage
- Straits of Florida
- Strait of Juan de Fuca
- San Bernardino Strait
- Verde Island Passage
- Balabac Strait
- Pentland Firth
Avoid it on your own voyage
In the planner, tap the padlock on the Panama Canal (or any of 950 passages) and the route is re-planned the other way, with the extra miles shown. Free with an account.
Open the route planner →About our guides
NaviBoss guides are written and checked by maritime industry experts, masters and deck officers. Each one is built from the same data the planner uses, dated, and rebuilt when that data changes. Spotted something wrong? Tell us on the feedback board.
A planning aid, not for navigation. Check official charts and publications, the latest notices and your company's instructions before you rely on any figure here.