The Panama Canal Authority further reduced the number of boats that can transit through the strategic waterway, which has been hit by an intense drought.
Only 31 ships will be allowed through the canal per day from November 1, down from circa 36 to 38 daily ship crossings during normal operations.
The announ cement was a further cut from the earlier figure of 32, imposed in August. That restriction caused a backlog of hundreds of vessels waiting to cross the canal. Ships that usually crossed the canal in two-and-a-half days had to wait more than nine to make the journey, Insider previously reported.
The canal authority reported that traffic had returned to normal by early September. As of October 2, there were about 95 boats waiting to cross the canal. However, analysts say the upcoming holiday season could put additional strain on the popular shipping route.
Unlike the Suez Canal, which depends on sea water, the Panama Canal uses freshwater from an artificial lake to supply water to the waterway. After an unusually dry year, the watershed that normally feeds into the lake has become especially low, leaving Gatun Lake with only about 80 feet of water, when it normally has about 87.
Because of this, the canal authority had to ration shipping through the Panama Canal gates. Ricaurte Vásquez Morales, the canal manager, previously predicted the canal’s income could fall by up to $200 million next year due to reduced traffic. He told international news agency France 24 that the El Niño climate pattern could make the situation worse.
– Nguồn: The Insider –
