Panama Canal continues to experience water shortages

By Alimat Aliyeva

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) said the famous waterway continues to face water shortages despite recent rains that have eased most of the restrictions imposed after last year's drought, Azernews reports.

"The waterway continues to be impacted by the prolonged dry season last year, which limited the capacity of daily passage through the canal," ACP said in a statement. – Despite the beginning of the rainy season, the problem with water in Panama and its canal has not been solved.

Unlike other waterways such as the Suez Canal, the Panama Canal, through which about six percent of the world's maritime traffic passes, runs on rainwater from artificial lakes Gatun and Alajuela.

Due to the meteorological phenomenon of El Nino last year, the arid channel was forced to reduce the number of ships passing through it daily, as well as reduce the permissible draft of ships.

However, starting from July 11, it will be allowed to increase the draft of ships to 14.6 meters, and from August 5, a maximum of 35 ships per day will pass through the channel.

The ACP, which manages the canal, has also called for the identification of alternative sources of water and the development of projects for its storage.

In fiscal year 2023, 511 million tons of cargo passed through the Panama Canal, which generated revenue of $3.34 billion.