THE PANAMAMA Canal Authority (ACP) has already received 102 requests  for ships to use the new set of locks that will open June 27, 

Among the reservations are 98 container ships, three liquefied gas carriers and a cruise ship.

The ACP has made available to customers four daily slots for post-panamax ships, in addition to the 25 spaces that are already available for vessels that can use the current locks.

Theinitial period for transit reservations is until September 30.

"We are very pleased and optimistic about the outcome of this first period of reservations" said ACP Administrator Jorge Luis Quijano.

The Authority  started taking reservations on April 18.

The Panama Canal expansion project will be inaugurated June 26, and the commercial operation will start the next day.

The first commercial transit on June 27 will be by the liquefied petroleum gas carrier Linden Pride, which is 36.6 meters wide and 230 meters long. It is owned by the Nippon Yusen Kaisha line (NYK line) and represented by the shipping agency Norton Lilly International.