Panama Canal to Cap Ship Transits Due to El Nino Drought
Panama Canal will cut daily transits of ships from September because of low rainfall and amid an intensifying El Nino event.
The Panama Canal will reduce the number of ships transiting through the waterway starting next month, owing to a rainfall deficit caused by the El Nino weather pattern, the canal operator announced on Thursday. The crucial link between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, handling approximately 5% of global maritime trade, depends on rainfall to facilitate ship passage.
From September 3, the canal will permit 34 ships to pass, down from the current 36, and from September 15, this figure will further drop to 32. The Panama Canal Authority noted that the country, despite being one of the world's wettest, is facing a severe drought due to the formation of El Nino in the Pacific Ocean. Rainfall between May and August was about 34% below the historical average for the period, according to the canal operator.
El Nino, characterized by unusually warm ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific, triggers a cascade of effects, including droughts, floods, and wildfires, which in turn disrupt global weather patterns. Experts predict that the coming late fall and early winter could see El Nino reach unprecedented intensity, potentially ranking among the largest events recorded since 1950.
The 50-mile (80-kilometer) Panama Canal experienced a similar drought in 2023-2024, leading to a drastic reduction in ship crossings in 2023 from 38 to 22 per day. The authority has already taken water conservation measures but is calling for additional steps to ensure the canal's long-term sustainability.
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