The Panama Canal Authority on Monday started taking transit reservations for Neopanamax vessels passing by means of the brand new locks of the expanded Panama Canal.

The first reservation was booked by the NYK Line LPG tanker Linden Pride, which has a size of 754.59 toes and a beam of 120.08 toes, the Canal Authority stated Monday. The first industrial transits will happen June 27, at some point after the official inauguration of the brand new locks.

Within hours of the opening of the primary reserving interval, the Canal Authority stated it had already crammed all 25 accessible reserving slots.

“We are very pleased and optimistic about the outcome of this first period and hope that more and more new ships pass through the expanded Panama Canal,” stated Canal Administrator Jorge Luis Quijano.

Vessels are categorised as Neopanamax if their dimensions are over 966 toes in size or over 107 toes in beam.

The Canal Authority says that through the first interval, a most of 4 reserving slots might be accessible per day, with not more than two slots in every route. Of the 4 slots, just one could also be allotted to LNG vessels, a brand new section for the canal. The first interval lasts by means of September 30, 2016. 

Slots for Just-In-Time transit service, future reserving durations, and actioned slots for Neopanamax vessels are unavailable at the moment. Additionally, vessels with a draft larger than 39.5 toes tropical recent water will be unable to e book slots.

The inauguration of the $5.3 billion growth challenge is ready for June 26, almost two years after initially deliberate. The challenge has been suffering from value overruns, contractor disputes, and most just lately cracks that shaped within the concrete of the brand new locks.