Panama Canal “NetZero” vessel slot to open this November
By on September 21, 2025
Must be registered as dual-fuel
Click to learn more. A new, weekly NetZero Slot will be allocated at the Panama Canal, prioritising transit for dual-fuel vessels capable of running on lower-emission fuels like ammonia. Source: US Department of Transport.
The Panama Canal Authority will hold its first “competition” on October 3 to allocate the NetZero Slot, a brand new category in the Canal’s reservation system designed to encourage decarbonised shipping, as well as the Authority’s commitment to the global shipping industry reaching net zero emissions by 2050. One spot per week will be allocated to a vessel registered as dual-fuel and capable of operating on at least one fuel with a carbon intensity factor equal to, or less than 75 gCO2e/MJ. Eligible fuels include methanol, ammonia, bio-LNG, and bio-LPG. Critically for the initial phases of the scheme, immediate use of the fuel will not be required – rather, the Panama Canal Authority will “recognize the investment and capacity to operate them once supply becomes available”.
The NetZero Slot is an unequivocal signal of our commitment to sustainability and the competitiveness of global trade. Through this initiative, we aim to support our customers in the transition toward a low-emissions future.
Ilya Espino de Marotta, Deputy Administrator and Chief Sustainability Officer, in her organisation’s official press release, 12 Sept 2025
The first competition will take place on October 3, applicable to the transit week of November 2–8, 2025. Benefits of the NetZero Slot include guaranteed transit across the Canal in 24 hours, and the flexibility to exchange the slot to an equivalent vessel. Preference in the competition will be given to loaded, higher tonnage vessels, with over “economic contribution” being used as a tiebreaker.