A liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker pays a record transit fee for priority passage through the Panama Canal, according to reports. South Africa’s IOL says the fee is R84.8 million (about R85 million), while Times of India reports the amount as $5.3 million.
The reports link the higher-than-usual priority cost to operational pressures at the canal. IOL states transit restrictions are tied to expected impacts of El Niño and severe drought conditions, which reduce water availability and can constrain canal schedules. This context helps explain why shippers may opt for more expensive priority slots. The outlets differ mainly in the currency figures and how they frame the cost, but both describe the same event: a record payment for priority transit by an LPG tanker.
No additional details about the vessel’s name, the operator, or the precise payment breakdown are provided in the supplied excerpts.
