The Panama Canal Authority is reducing daily vessel transits to help conserve water due to an ongoing drought.
Effective July 30, the daily transit capacity of the international waterway will be adjusted to an average of 32 ocean-going vessels per day, with 10 vessels in the Neopanamax locks and 22 vessels in the Panamax locks. The ACP has warned that capacity may be further adjusted based on factors such as Gatun Lake level, weather forecasts, and vessel mix.
The ACP has also told customers that it will maintain a draft of 44 feet (13.4 metres) for the next several months as long as weather conditions do not vary significantly from current projections.
The Panama Canal Authority said it was implementing the measures to reduce the possibility of additional draft restrictions due to extended dry conditions in the watershed. This year’s El Niño has intensified drought conditions and notably leading to lower water levels in Gatun Lake.
The maximum sustainable capacity of the Panama Canal, including both the Panamax and expanded Neopanamax locks, is approximately 38-40 vessels per day, but generally around 34-38 vessels transit each month.
The ACP also noted that a decline in daily transits for an extended period will lead to longer waiting times for vessels without reservations. “In that regard, we strongly encourage all customers to make use of our Transit Reservation System to reduce the possibility of extensive delays.”
(Panama Canal Authority photos)
