Shafaqna English– The Panama Canal Authority announced on Thursday that it would implement caps on the number of daily vessel transits beginning in early September, as the organization prepares for an El Niño weather pattern that is projected to persist longer than usual and cause a significant drop in the water levels of the canal’s lake system, a development that has compelled the authority to reverse its earlier commitment not to impose any restrictions on ship movements.
The new restrictions will take effect in two stages, with the canal initially allowing a maximum of 34 daily transits beginning September 4, before imposing a more stringent limit of 32 vessels per day as of September 15, as the authority seeks to gradually adjust transit schedules in line with the projected deterioration of water levels caused by the extended dry season.
Source: Reuters