Panama Canal to cut ship traffic over El Niño-fueled drought

The Panama Canal will reduce the number of ships allowed to pass through it daily due to low water levels caused by a drought linked to the El Niño phenomenon. From September 3, the daily limit will be 34 vessels, down from 36, and will be further reduced to 32 from September 15, according to the Panama Canal Authority.

The canal, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and handles 5% of global maritime trade, relies on rainwater collected in two artificial lakes. The drought affecting Central America is attributed to El Niño, a weather pattern that alters global wind and rainfall patterns.

The Panama Canal Authority has already implemented water conservation measures, including lowering the maximum draft for large ships. The reductions are intended to ensure the long-term sustainability of the waterway.

Brief written by urgent.news from Le Monde English, Free Malaysia Today — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.