Klima: Zu wenig Regen: Panamakanal senkt Zahl der Schiffspassagen
Jedes Mal, wenn ein Schiff die Wasserstraße passiert, fließt Süßwasser ins Meer. Die Kanalverwaltung kündigt vorbeugende Sparmaßnahmen an. Hintergrund ist auch das Klimaphänomen El Niño.
Panama City - Due to minimal rainfall, the Panama Canal is reducing the number of permitted ship passages. The authorized daily voyages will be gradually decreased from 36 to 32 starting in September, according to the administration managing the waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Despite ongoing rainy season and implemented water-saving measures to mitigate the impact of El Niño, further precautionary steps are deemed necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability of the canal's operations, stated a notification.
The Panama Canal operates with locks, releasing freshwater into the sea each time a vessel passes through. From May to August, rainfall was approximately 34 percent less than the historical average for the period, the canal authority reported. Forecasts suggest that El Niño may bring even lower rainfall in 2026-2027, affecting the region.
As the dry season commences in January, careful management of water resources and meticulous monitoring become crucial to secure water availability. The Panama Canal is an 80-kilometer-long artificial waterway cutting through Panama's Isthmus in Central America, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and saving ships from the lengthy, hazardous journey around South America's southern tip.
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