The Panama Canal Authority has issued a warning that if the drought continues, the number of daily transits may be significantly reduced.
The Panama Canal Authority's administrator, Ricaurte Vásquez Morales, summoned the media to a news conference yesterday where he discussed his expectations for both short- and long-term remedies to ensure that future problems with a lack of fresh water are less of a concern.
The canal officials have reduced daily transits by 20% to just 32 per day and reduced the maximum draught for the waterway's larger neopanamax locks by roughly 2 m due to this year's exceptional drought, which has been made worse by the entrance of the El Nio weather phenomena. Significant ship lines have developed at both ends of the river as a result of these actions.
"This phenomenon has been very severe this year, and it is expected that this will be a pervasive situation that will extend probably well into next year calendar year," Morales told reporters yesterday, cautioning that reducing the number of transits once more is a possibility if the situation does not improve. This year, the phenomenon has been particularly severe.
El Nio will cause the drought to last longer than usual, Morales emphasised.
The panamax locks' two non-auctioned slots will be given to the ships that have waited the longest to pass through, according to a decision made this week by the canal administration.
Looking ahead, Morales explained how he is collaborating with lawmakers to alter a 2006 law so that the canal can construct a new reservoir, Rio Indio, to maintain high water levels in the vital Gatun Lake and supply drinkable water to the expanding Panamanian population.
For the previous seven years, there have generally been 90 ships waiting to pass through the canal at both ends. This number has skyrocketed recently, reaching a high of 163 vessels on August 9. 132 ships are waiting as of right now.
-By Geraldine Yokiara | thetransporteronline24 | Panama
