Panama Canal Announces Record Tonnage

Only two months into the 2005 fiscal year, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is already breaking records once again. The ACP announced today that during the months of October and November, a total of 46,956,399 Panama Canal/Universal Measurement System (PC/UMS) tons were moved through the waterway - a 7.1 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

Moreover, during the month of November, a daily average of 778,176 PC/UMS tons transited through the Panama Canal. This new figure breaks the record of 774,014 PC/UMS tons previously held in April 2004.

"This record is a testament to the reliability and efficiency of the Panama Canal. Once again, we are reaping the benefits of our continued capital investments for Canal improvement and modernization," said Administrator/CEO Alberto Alemán Zubieta. "The more cargo and containers transited through the Canal, the better for our customers."

The ACP's 2005 fiscal year runs from October 1, 2004 until September 30, 2005.