Key facts
- The Panama Canal Authority is evaluating further reductions in ship transits.
- The decision is driven by critically low water levels caused by the El Nino phenomenon.
- Current restrictions are already impacting the flow of global maritime trade.
- The canal's water levels are essential for its operation, relying heavily on rainfall.
The Panama Canal Authority is weighing further reductions in the number of daily transits through the vital waterway due to the severe impact of the El Nino weather pattern on water levels. Administrator Ricaurte Vásquez Morales indicated that the authority is considering additional cuts beyond the already announced restrictions.
The canal relies on rainfall to fill its locks, and the current drought conditions have led to critically low water levels. This situation has already forced the authority to limit the number of ships that can pass through daily, reducing it from the typical 36 to 24. Further reductions are being considered for February, potentially bringing the number down to 16.