The Panama Canal will once again reduce the number of daily vessel transits starting next month due to a severe drought associated with El Nino.
Sea-news.az reports citing Seanews.az, that according to the plan, an average of 29.5 ships per day will be permitted to pass through the canal in October. This figure was 32 in September and 36 in August.
The 82-kilometer-long canal handles approximately 5% of global maritime trade and nearly 40% of U.S. container shipments. The canal’s operations rely heavily on fresh water from the rivers feeding Gatun Lake.
The drop in water levels due to drought also led to severe restrictions in 2023. During that period, the number of daily transits was reduced from 38 to 22, resulting in vessel queues and increased shipping costs.
According to the source, the current restrictions are also being impacted by the situation in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz. Difficulties on other routes have increased demand for the Panama Canal, causing transit costs to rise.
