A First for Panama Canal: Three LNG Tankers Crossing in One Day

Three tankers hauling liquefied natural gas sailed through the Panama Canal on the same day this week, marking a first for the newly expanded waterway and highlighting the booming global gas trade.

All three ships -- Gaslog Hong Kong, Gaslog Gibraltar and Clean Ocean -- entered the canal on a staggered basis from the Pacific side on April 17 and had completed their crossings by early April 18, according to vessel tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. A representative for the canal authority confirmed the tanker moves.

The crossings underscore how the LNG trade has surged worldwide as new export facilities from the U.S. to Australia rumble to life and buyers in Asia boost their demand for the fuel.

Since the canal completed a $5 billion expansion almost two years ago, traders and terminal developers have been closely watching the authority’s ability to accommodate the jump in tanker traffic.

Dominion Energy Inc.’s Cove Point LNG terminal -- the second to send shale gas overseas -- started commercial service this week, roughly two years after Cheniere Energy Inc. opened up its Sabine Pass terminal in Louisiana. Thus far, Sabine Pass has shipped more than 300 cargoes to 26 countries.

By Ryan Collins and Naureen S. Malik