Panama Canal Weighs Ship Traffic Changes Over El Niño Risk

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is preparing to adjust ship traffic in response to the anticipated intensification of the El Niño phenomenon. This weather event could reduce water availability for operating the interoceanic waterway later this year. The ACP announced that daily transit limits will begin in September, starting with a maximum of 34 crossings per day, dropping to 32 by September 15.

This marks a shift from the previous strategy of not limiting vessel traffic this year, as demand had reached nearly 35 transits per day in the first months of the year. The decision is driven by the current low water levels in Gatun Lake, essential for lock operations and human consumption, which are suffering due to rainfall deficits and reduced inflows.

The Canal, expanded ten years ago to accommodate larger ships, now features water-saving basins that recycle 60% of water used in each lockage, but the El Niño risk threatens to jeopardize this progress. Authorities are working to balance maintaining maritime trade and preserving water reserves, drawing lessons from previous crises in 2023 and 2024.