Panama Canal ?

Question

Anyone know for a fact , the cost to go through the canal in a 47ft sailboat ??

Answer 1

The best thing for you to do is to contact someone at the Panama Canal Commission or in Miraflores.

Prices is not something you can find on internet, weight of the boat, length, type, etc is taken into consideration.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

Okay 2 issues here..first who to ask:

First, it's going to be rather difficult to contact the Panama Canal Commission since there is no such entity in existence. The ruling and management body for the canal is now the Autoriadad del Canal Panama otherwise known as the ACP. Miraflores is a set of locks with a musuem attached to it..there would be no one there that would be competent enough to help you..In Panama if it is not their job...it really is NOT their job..no one goes out of their way. Best to talk to the right people.

I cannot give you an exact quote..nobody but the ACP can do that..don't listen to Americans that were here in the day..that day has been over for some time and ACP has changed everything. You now pay for the type of vessel, it's displacement, it's weight ..tolls per ton run around $3.80..and that is just weight...displacement ton tolls run $2.09 per displaced ton.

Now don't think you can sail right up and get in line..it ain't that way..you need a booking slot for either a northbound or southbound passage and well in advance. depending on what market segment you are, cargo or pleasure..most  of the time 4-6 months...

Best to contact ACP:

write:

Panama Canal Authority

P.O. Box 526725

Miami, FL 33152-6725

U.S.A

or call(best if you habla espanol):

011-507-272-7602 or 272-1465

So the long and short of it is..there is no short of it..no easy answer for a so-many foot boat..it isn't done that way..

an educated guess here will be that the toll would probably be from $1500 on the cheap side to $5000 on the high side..

The average container ship is paying 100-300K per transit..

I live here and I have no idea where the money goes..this should be Dubai instead of a third world country for all the income that is made at the Canal...

Best of Luck..happy seas...