Drought-hit Panama Canal to ease traffic restrictions

Drought-hit Panama Canal to ease traffic restrictions

Tourists watch a cargo ship pass through the Panama Canal's Agua Clara Locks
Tourists watch a cargo ship pass through the Panama Canal's Agua Clara Locks. Photo: MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP
Source: AFP

The number of ships allowed through the drought-hit Panama Canal each day will be increased thanks to signs of an improvement in water levels, authorities said Monday.

The interoceanic channel is a key transit point for international cargo, but low water levels blamed on climate change and the El Nino phenomenon last year led officials to limit the number of vessels using it.

The Panama Canal Authority said Monday that it had informed clients it would gradually allow up to 32 ships through per day, compared with a limit of 27 announced a month ago.

In 2022, it had welcomed an average of 39 ships a day.

"The management and administration of water has been very efficient," canal administrator Ricaurte Vasquez told AFP.

The arrival of the rainy season was also expected to help, he added.

Read also

US retail sales up more than expected in March

Restrictions on the maximum draft (water depth) of ships passing through the largest locks will be increased in mid-June to 13.71 meters (45 feet), from 13.41, authorities said.

The century-old maritime channel, which usually handles about six percent of global maritime trade, uses rainwater stored in two artificial lakes.

The canal -- used mainly by customers from the United States, China and Japan -- has a system of locks to raise and lower ships.

For each vessel that passes through it, 200 million liters of fresh water are released into the sea.

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.