News / OOCL vessel has near-miss in Panama Canal as new charges come in

© Mariusz Bugno

An OOCL vessel involved in a near-miss incident while under tow through the Panama Canal may face a ‘disruption charge’, a new tariff which came into force this year.

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) introduced the controversial new charge for vessels disrupting canal operations, and it varies by ship size, the largest neopanamax vessels facing a $250,000 fee in the event of a serious incident.

The scope of offences includes mechanical issues that cause a vessel to lose propulsion and block the ...