# Panamax ships: anybody know their standard crusing speed? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 5, 2008, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panamax-ships-anybody-know-their-standard-crusing-speed/440121 "2008-03-05T01:29:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2008, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panamax-ships-anybody-know-their-standard-crusing-speed/440121/21 "2008-03-05T15:15:35Z")
[QUOTE=dtilque] The new ones will hold ships up to 49 m wide, 366 m long and 15 m draft. So is the term Panamax going change definition or are they going to call them New and Old Panamax or something like that? [/QUOTE] I would suggest MiniPanamax and MaxiPanamax. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panamax-ships-anybody-know-their-standard-crusing-speed/440121/22 "2008-03-05T19:34:48Z")
[QUOTE=dtilque] They are currently building new locks for the Panama Canal that will handle larger ships. These are going to be in addition to the current locks. Completion is scheduled for 2015. The new ones will hold ships up to 49 m wide, 366 m long and 15 m draft. So is the term Panamax going change definition or are they going to call them New and Old Panamax or something like that? [/QUOTE] From the [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panamax) article on Panamax, they seem to indicate Panamax (original flavor) and Panamax II. Class Panamax Panamax II Length 1050 ft (320.04 m) 1400 ft (426.72 m) Width 110 ft (33.53 m) 180 ft (54.86 m) Draft 41 ft (12.50 m) 60 ft (18.29 m) TEU 5000 12000 ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panamax-ships-anybody-know-their-standard-crusing-speed/440121/23 "2008-03-06T07:46:08Z")
The mall in front of the Administration Building at Quarry Heights is (supposedly) the same size as a lock. If you want to make sure your ship fits just put it in the middle of the mall, if it doesn’t touch the sidewalks you’re good to go. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panamax-ships-anybody-know-their-standard-crusing-speed/440121/24 "2008-03-06T08:32:01Z")
[QUOTE=Colibri] MaxiPanamax [/QUOTE] Only brought out once a month. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panamax-ships-anybody-know-their-standard-crusing-speed/440121/25 "2008-03-06T11:21:07Z")
I thought that the Nimitz-class carriers were still built to Panamax standards? Is that still true for the later flight of those ships, or just for the initial four? (And, from what I recall, when they go through, it’s pretty hard to see the canal for the carrier.) ---
**Author:** ![Antonius\_Block](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panamax-ships-anybody-know-their-standard-crusing-speed/440121/26 "2008-03-06T11:53:42Z")
[QUOTE=OtakuLoki] I thought that the Nimitz-class carriers were still built to Panamax standards? [/QUOTE] The [Nimitz class](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimitz_class_aircraft_carrier) aircraft carriers have a waterline beam of 134ft (41m). [Panamax](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panamax) beam is 106ft (32.3m), with 108ft being the widest ship ever to go through. So, no Nimitzes get through the Canal. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panamax-ships-anybody-know-their-standard-crusing-speed/440121/27 "2008-03-06T11:56:47Z")
[QUOTE=Antonius Block] The [Nimitz class](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimitz_class_aircraft_carrier) aircraft carriers have a waterline beam of 134ft (41m). Panamax beam is 106ft (32.3m). So, no Nimitzes go through the Canal. [/QUOTE] Oops. OKay, thanks for the answer. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panamax-ships-anybody-know-their-standard-crusing-speed/440121/28 "2008-03-06T12:52:02Z")
Per wiki, the previous class of US aircraft carriers, the Kitty Hawk class, was also bigger than Panamax at 140’ beam at the waterline, much less at the deck flare. Ditto the Enterprise, a class of one ship on a more-or-less Kitty Hawk hull. Ditto the preceding class, Forrestal. Ditto the preceding class, Midway. The Essex class [Essex-class aircraft carrier - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essex_class_aircraft_carrier), the mainstay of post-WWII naval aviation would have fit. These were all built in the 1940s & mostly taken out of service during the 60s. About half were completed too late to participate in WWII. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panamax-ships-anybody-know-their-standard-crusing-speed/440121/29 "2008-03-06T23:00:20Z")
[QUOTE=LSLGuy] The Essex class [Essex-class aircraft carrier - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essex_class_aircraft_carrier), the mainstay of post-WWII naval aviation would have fit. These were all built in the 1940s & mostly taken out of service during the 60s. About half were completed too late to participate in WWII. [/QUOTE] Do you know that for a fact? They have a hellava lot of stuff hanging off either side above the waterline. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panamax-ships-anybody-know-their-standard-crusing-speed/440121.md?page=1)