en.Wedoany.com Reported - Wedoany News, a liquefied petroleum gas carrier paid $4.6 million through the Panama Canal auction system to secure priority passage, setting a new record for the canal's queue-jumping fee.

According to Bloomberg, the LPG carrier, named G. Arete, will transit swiftly from the Pacific side to the Caribbean side. The vessel is owned by South Korea's SK Shipping. The Panama Canal Authority declined to comment on specific transaction details, citing client confidentiality.

Earlier this week, a container ship paid $4 million to jump the queue. The previous record was $4.2 million set earlier this year. According to Argus Media data, some Neopanamax-class vessels without reserved transit slots have been waiting up to 11 days, the highest since May this year.

The Panama Canal Authority stated that the median winning bid in recent auctions has surged significantly from approximately $55,000 during the period from October 2025 to February 2026, reflecting a notable increase in demand. The Iran war has led more vessels to reroute through this critical waterway, while the strengthening El Niño phenomenon could bring severe drought to Central America, prompting canal operators to tighten cargo weight restrictions on ships.