According to sea-news.az citing Seanews.az, the Panama Canal Authority has announced that from July 1 it will reduce the maximum permitted draft for ships from 50 feet to 49.5 feet (15 meters) due to forecasts suggesting that the El Niño weather phenomenon could once again trigger water shortages.
The authority stated that the decision takes into account the severe water scarcity experienced in 2023–2024, as well as current and projected water levels in Gatun Lake, the canal’s main water reservoir.
Experts predict that El Niño—characterized by weakening trade winds in the Pacific Ocean and rising sea temperatures—may intensify, increasing the risk of renewed water shortages in the Panama Canal.
During the 2023–2024 El Niño period, the canal administration reduced the allowable draft to as low as 38.5 feet and restricted daily transits, leading to long queues and forcing some container shipping lines to shift to alternative logistics routes.
This year, the number of vessels transiting the Panama Canal has increased by around 8%, partly due to higher oil and gas shipments from the United States to Asia amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
In addition, one of the Gatun lock lanes will be closed for scheduled maintenance from June 9 to 17, during which all transits will operate on a single lane, significantly reducing daily capacity.
