The Panama Canalwhich is struggling with a severe drought, announced on Tuesday that it will gradually decrease the number of ship crossings from November 3 to save water.
The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has indicated that it plans to initially reduce daily crossings on this route from 29 to 25, which moves almost half of the route. 6% of global maritime trade. In 2022, an average of 39 ships passed per day, but this number had been declining for months.
“The month of October is the driest month since measurements began 73 years ago. The drought caused by the El Niño phenomenon continues to severely impact the Panama Canal reservoir system and, as a result, water availability has been reduced“, the ACS said on its website.
He specified that 25 ships will cross per day from November 3 to 7, from November 8 to 30, 24, on December 22, on January 20 and from February 18.
“The late arrival of the rainy season this year and the lack of rainfall in the Channel Basin has forced the Channel to reduce traffic“, the ACP explained in a message to its customers.
The Channel has also reduced the draft of ships, forcing some merchant ships to offload containers before entering the inter-oceanic waterway.
The new reduction in traffic will certainly cause a greater drop in their income. A few months ago, the ACP countries had forecast a decline in their revenues of $200 million by 2024.
Source: Eluniverso
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