Panama - Pacific Crossing Notes: A Sailor's Guide to the Coconut Milk Run - page 196

Transiting the Panama Canal
Procedures for transiting the Panama Canal have been covered extensively in the sailing
press, though constant changes mean that the prudent cruiser should check the coconut
grapevine for updates. This is particularly true as the new super-locks come into operation;
the increase in canal traffic may well affect the procedures for private vessels.
The good news is, the price of hiring an agent to organize transit paperwork has dropped
over the years, from a reported $700 to $350 at the time of our transit in 2012. That means
that the price difference between doing the paperwork yourself and hiring an agent has nar-
rowed to the point that many cruisers can now consider the luxury of hiring an agent,
whose fee covers everything from the legwork between offices down to lines and tires (to
serve as oversized fenders). Organizing the transit yourself involves roughly $150 to $200
in bank fees, taxis, and line/tire rental. In brief, the steps involved are: calling for a meas-
urement appointment, bringing the $609 transit fee and $891 security bond to the bank in
cash, and calling again for a transit date (all in the official canal language of English).
Whether you use an agent or do the paperwork yourself, the transit fee remains the same:
$609 for any vessel up to fifty feet.
One of the principal advantages of hiring a bonded agent is that you don't have to post the
$891 bond; you pay for only the transit fee and the agent. This eliminates multiple trips to
ATMs, as well as the potential risk of carrying wads of cash around crime-ridden Colon
(not to mention waiting for your bond to be refunded and yet another bank fee). We were
delighted with the promptness and efficiency of our agent, Erick Galvez of Centenario
Consultant Agency ( [e-mail] ). The only thing an agent cannot do is
speed up the process should there be any delays in high season. Normally, transits can be
organized in two or three days, but waits of up to a week can develop, and there have even
been odd instances of month-long delays (and worse) for small boats in high season (start-
ing late February on the Caribbean side).
Vessels can be measured either at anchor in The Flats or at their berths in Shelter Bay Mar-
ina, the only marina on the Caribbean side and the place from where most cruisers organize
their transit. The advantage of having the boat measured in a berth can be significant: by
doing so, Nadine was able to stay alone on the boat, completing projects in Shelter Bay
while awaiting the measuring officer. Meanwhile, Markus could leave to help another boat
transit the canal and thus gain a preview of what was in store for us. Otherwise, he would
have had to pass on that opportunity.