The Panama Canal this week welcomed the 2,000th Neopanamax vessel through the waterway, demonstrating the route’s continued impact on maritime trade and the industry’s confidence in the safe, reliable and efficient service the canal provides.

COSCO's Yantian containership completed the milestone transit through the expanded canal traveling northbound from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. The vessel measures 351 m in length and 43 m in beam, with a total 20 ft. equivalent unit (TEU) allowance of 9,504.

“Over the last 15 months, the expanded canal has repeatedly exceeded expectations,” Panama Canal administrator Jorge Quijano said. “Yesterday's transit serves as yet another reminder of the industry’s rapid adoption of the route and reinforces our commitment to continually improving the service we offer our customers.”

The Yantian is deployed on the COSCO Pacific East Coast 2 (PEX2) service, which operates between Asia and the Caribbean via the Panama Canal.

The 2,000th transit marks another step forward for the expanded canal, which has served a number of vessel segments since its opening in June 2016, including containerships, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers and liquefied natural gas (LNG) carries — a new segment for the waterway.

At 54%, the container segment accounts for more than half of the transits through the expanded canal, while LPG and LNG vessels represent 29.2% and 8.6%, respectively. Bulk carriers, tankers, car carriers and cruise ships have also transited the expanded canal.