The Panama Canal increases the draft of ships and prepares to increase the passage of ships

The Panama Canal announced an increase in the maximum allowable draft to transit the Neopanamax locks, through which the largest cargo ships pass, and prepares to increase to one additional vessel a day transiting starting Saturday, due to a improvement in the level of available water.

The measure, which is immediate, increases the draft to 45 feet, which has remained at 44 since June 2023.

With good rainfall, the Canal has reached 50 feet of draft. But the infrastructure administrator implemented limitations last year on the draft and the number of ships that pass the port each day. persistent drought which affected the fresh water of the lakes that supply the canal.

The reservoirs of the Gatún and Alhajuela lakes have risen in recent days above the level recorded for this same time in 2023.

“Nature has favored us with an improvement in rain,” the Panama Canal said in a statement on Thursday through the social network X, formerly Twitter, in which it also mentioned the work of “the canal workforce.”

The number of ships that cross the route, one of the most important for international trade, will also increase. Since last May 16, the number of daily transits has increased from 17 to 24 in the Panamax locks and from June 1, daily transits will increase from 7 to 8 in the Neopanamax locks, one more. This will put the total number of daily vessels at 32.

Despite the improvement due to increased rainfall, measures still need to be taken to stabilize the operation of the Canal in the long term, such as the construction of a reservoir – for which changes in law are required – and that the new government of Panama, which begins next July 1, has announced that it is willing to carry out.

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