Panama Canal reduces number of ship transits due to drought — Channel NewsAsia
In Panama, the Panama Canal Authority began reducing on September 4 the number of vessels allowed to pass through the waterway between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The reason was low water levels in two artificial lakes that feed the canal, Channel NewsAsia reports.
Shipping restrictions
The number of vessels allowed to pass through the canal each day will gradually be reduced from 36 to 32 by mid-September. The canal authority has already introduced other water-saving measures, including lowering the maximum permitted draft for the largest vessels.
The Panama Canal accounts for about 5% of global maritime trade and approximately 40% of US container traffic.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Drought in Central America
Panama declared a nationwide state of emergency due to El Niño. This weather phenomenon, which forms over the Pacific Ocean, causes changes in winds, atmospheric pressure and precipitation in different parts of the world, and also raises global temperatures.
According to AFP, the current El Niño is expected to be the strongest since comparable observations began four decades ago. Central America is already suffering from severe drought; Honduras and El Salvador have also declared states of emergency. In 2023, due to El Niño, the canal authority reduced the daily number of transits to 22 vessels.
