Restrictions at Panama Canal at ease with the arrival of rainfall

The weather forecasts showing copious rain heading Panama’s way is good news for many international shipping companies as for the last 11 months they had been severely impacted by drought in Panama Canal.

Now with rain forecasts, the Authority of Panama Canal (ACP) decision to reduce daily transits and drift levels will be taken back and slowly increase the intake of vessels. Recently, the ACP has announced three extra slots per day in Panama which makes the daily maximum transits 27 (which is still less than the total daily maximum transit of 37).

According to data from Clarksons Research, limitations on passage through the Panama Canal, responsible for 2.5% of worldwide trade, have resulted in a one-third decrease in tonnage transits.

At present, there are 46 vessels awaiting passage through the canal, a decrease from the peak of over 160 observed last August.

The most recent forecasts from ACP indicate that water depths at Gatun Lake, a crucial component of the canal’s infrastructure, are expected to increase significantly by the end of May as the rainy season commences.