Controversial Near Miss Raises Safety Concerns on the Panama Canal
A recent incident, captured in a photo on March 5, involving a POST-PANAMAX containership crowding a tugboat towards a closed lock gate has reignited the ongoing safety debate surrounding the Panama Canal. The photograph, posted anonymously on social media, depicts the tugboat, carrying a five-person crew, coming dangerously close to being crushed under the massive vessel’s bow.
According to a tugboat captain affiliated with the MM&P union, the incident occurred because the locks were not ready, the chamber was not full, and the gates were closed. Despite these conditions, the pilot proceeded with the transit, bypassing the requirement for a stern tug. The MM&P affiliate Union de Capitanes y Oficiales de Cubierta (UCOC), representing tug captains and vessel personnel on the Canal, asserts that the March 5 close call is a consequence of the Panama Canal Authority’s decision to loosen safety procedures.
Tug captains criticize the lack of written safety procedures, claiming that pilots often operate without stern tugs or line handlers and exceed safe speeds through the Canal. The situation, characterized as ‘anarchy’ by some, raises concerns about the safety of Panama Canal workers and poses risks to global supply chains.
The hazards stem from the expanded Canal’s poor design, resulting in a more labor-intensive vessel transit process. Unlike the old locks with electric-powered locomotive ‘mules,’ the new locks require tugboats to continuously position transiting vessels. Tugboat operators face prolonged hours without relief, ignoring international hours-of-rest standards.
Compounding the risks are equipment shortages and cost-cutting measures, with many of the Canal Authority’s 46 tugs being outdated and poorly maintained. Recent incidents, including a fire aboard the tugboat Dolega in February and an aging tug losing steering in August 2022, highlight the severity of safety concerns.
MM&P President Don Marcus warns that the deteriorating conditions on the Panama Canal have the potential for a significant crisis, with implications for international trade comparable to the grounding of the M/V Ever Given in the Suez Canal in March 2021.
