Next week, the Panama Canal will launch NetZero Slot, an initiative designed to incentivise Neopanamax vessels powered by clean fuels and equipped with energy-efficient technologies. With this move, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) aims to support the maritime industry’s global decarbonization goals and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
The weekly reservation opportunity encourages Neopanamax customers to invest in energy efficiency and adopt low-carbon fuels, as per the ACP.
“The NetZero Slot is part of the Panama Canal’s commitment to reward and incentivise investments in energy efficiency and low-carbon fuels. As the shipping industry and its value chain progress toward net-zero emissions, we will continuously update the eligibility criteria to recognise and support these efforts,” the ACP said.
As informed, the first competition of this weekly slot will be held on October 3, 2025, for transits during the week of November 2 through November 8, 2025. To participate in the NetZero Slot competition, customers must submit their requests through the booking system, including the intended transit day of the week.
In order to participate, vessels must be registered as dual-fuel and capable of operating on at least one fuel with an approximate well-to-wake (WtW) carbon intensity of 75 gCO₂(e)/MJ or lower.
Dual fuel engines such as dual LNG, dual LPG, dual methanol and dual ammonia will qualify to compete for the NetZero Slot program.
Currently, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is developing the Sustainable Fuel Certification Scheme, which will certify the greenhouse gas intensity (GFI – GHG Fuel Intensity) of marine fuels. This scheme will measure the amount of greenhouse gases emitted per unit of energy used, expressed in grams of CO₂ equivalent per megajoule (gCO₂eq/MJ), and will cover the entire fuel life cycle, from production to on-board consumption, using the well-to-wake approach.
In the future, this certification will allow the waterway to verify, in a standardized way, that vessels meet the required carbon intensity to participate in programs such as the NetZero Slot.
Source: Offshore Energy