MSC Boxship Sets New Record for Panama Canal Cargo Capacity

The Panama Canal Authority is highlighting a new record for the largest cargo capacity containership to transit the Canal. While the record is always significant, it draws extra attention as it comes as the Panama Canal is working its way back from restrictions on ship transits due to a prolonged drought in 2024. 

The recently introduced MSC Marie (202,562 dwt) took the honors with today’s transit from Mexico on a route that began in China and Korea. The ship was delivered to MSC in 2024 as part of its ongoing fleet expansion and it has a maximum capacity of 17,640 TEU. The vessel which is registered in Liberia appears to have made the transit with an approximately 48-foto draft to emphasize the recovery and the lowering of restrictions on the transits.

While the same dimensions, MSC Marie has a larger container capacity

The MSC Marie has the same basic dimensions as the prior record holder, Evergreen’s Ever Max which set the record in August 2023. Both ships are 1,200 feet in length (366 meters) and have a mean of 167.4 feet (51 meters). The Ever Max has a rated capacity of 17,312 TEU but arriving at the Panama Canal during the restrictions she was forced to offload boxes that were transshipped by rail across the isthmus to meet the draft restrictions.

These ships also illustrate the continued growth of the sector and the deployment of bigger capacity vessels on trade routes using the Panama Canal. The Ever Max and now the MSC Marie were equal in size to the CMA CGM Zephyr, which set the capacity record in 2022 with 16,285 TEU. The previous record had stood since 2019 when the Triton operating for Evergreen with a length of 1,210 feet and 14,000 TEU capacity became the largest boxship to transit the Neopanamax locks. By length, it remains the largest vessel, but the industry’s changes in loading systems are getting more boxes onto similar-sized vessels.

The Panama Canal Authority highlighted that today’s record shows that the canal can handle the largest and most modern ships. They said it also highlighted the Panama Canal’s role as a key hub in global trade.

MSC Marie appears to be traveling at a 48-foot draft illustrating the lower restrictions after the prolonged drought