The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) said it will maintain the current maximum authorized draft of 48 feet (14.63 meters) Tropical Fresh Water for vessels transiting the Neopanamax Locks, delaying a further half-foot reduction to 47.5 feet that had been rescheduled to take effect October 1. The authority said the decision follows its latest review of Gatun Lake levels and weather projections, marking the second time in a matter of weeks that it has pushed back the planned tightening of vessel draft limits on its largest locks.
The move comes as the ACP works to manage what is expected to be a severe drought tied to a Super El Niño phenomenon in the Pacific. The World Meteorological Organization warned on September 3 that El Niño conditions are exceptionally likely to persist through February 2027, adding pressure on the canal’s freshwater supply. Despite the reprieve on draft limits, the canal has already imposed tighter daily transit caps at the Neopanamax Locks, and some gas carriers have reportedly diverted around South America or paid record-high auction prices to jump the queue for transit slots, a pattern reminiscent of the disruptive 2023-2024 drought that forced some container vessels to offload cargo for transshipment across the isthmus.
Source: The Maritime Executive — https://maritime-executive.com/article/panama-canal-pushes-back-planned-draft-cut-for-big-ships
Tags: Panama Canal, El Niño, Gatun Lake, Drought
