How did the Third Set of Locks Project affect the canal's shipping capacity?

The Third Set of Locks Project, completed in June 2016, significantly enhanced the Panama Canal’s shipping capacity by doubling the waterway's overall capacity.1

This expansion achieved its increased capacity through several key developments:

• New Lock Infrastructure: The project added two new sets of three-step locks—one at each end of the canal—which allow for the transit of a new generation of supersized vessels known as "neo-Panamax" ships. These vessels are capable of carrying up to 13,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units).1
• Channel Improvements: To accommodate these larger ships, the project widened and deepened existing navigational channels and created a new 3.8-mile access channel connecting the new Pacific locks with the Gaillard Cut.1
• Operational Adjustments: The project raised the maximum operating level of Gatún Lake to 89 feet (27 meters), increasing the canal's usable water reserves to support the expanded operations.1

By enabling the passage of these much larger ships, the project fundamentally transformed the canal's ability to handle global maritime traffic compared to the limitations of the original lock system.1