The Panama Canal registered an increase in tonnage to 326.8m PC/UMS (Panama Canal/Universal Measurement System) tonnes during fiscal year 2014 ended 30 September .
This figure represents a 2% increase compared to the 320.6m PC/UMS tonnes registered in FY2013 and the result was also higher than earlier forecasts. The Panama Canal’s fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30. The increase was primarily driven by the bulk carrier segment which registered an 18.2% increase totalling 85.9 million PC/UMS tonnes, compared to the 72.7 million PC/UMS tonnes registered the year before.
The dynamic movement of bulk through the Panama Canal in the last year is attributed to the surge in grain cargo flows from the US Gulf to Asia.
Other leading market segments during this fiscal year included car carriers with 45.8 million PC/UMS tonnes and gas carriers with 6 million PC /UMS tonnes, which increased 6.7% and 24.2%, respectively.
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