Panama Canal keeps passage restrictions for a year due to water shortage

The Panama Canal will continue to restrict the number of ships passing through for a year due to water shortages caused by climate change and the El Niño phenomenon.

The reduced passage has led to long queues of ships waiting to transit. The Panama Canal Authority on August 16 notified shippers it is extending through Sept. 2 restrictions for vessels to transit through the waterway and keeping the number of vessels authorized to pass per day to a maximum of 32.