Blocking one ship through the canal consumes about 200 million liters of precious water, which is stored in two artificial lakes in the middle of the canal route. If there is no rain, the restrictions may continue for a long time.
Panamanian the channel plans to limit traffic for up to a year due to severe drought. The restrictions have already caused congestion near the canal as cargo ships wait to enter the canal.
Located in Central America, the approximately 80-kilometer-long Panama Canal is a vital direct route between the Atlantic and the Pacific for the world’s freight traffic. About six percent of the world’s freight traffic passes through the canal.
The Panama Canal uses exceptionally fresh water to close it. The lack of rain has forced the canal operator to limit traffic.
According to the news agency AFP, closing one ship through the canal consumes about 200 million liters of fresh water, which is stored in two artificial lakes along the canal route.
Channel water from artificial lakes used in Panama is also used as drinking water. Panama has suffered from a severe drought in the past year, which has lowered the water level of the lakes.
If there are no heavy rains in Panama within the next three months, traffic restrictions may continue for a long time. Global warming has made Panama’s climate drier in recent years.
Traffic is already limited to vessels with a maximum draft of 13.11 meters. The restriction has forced some ships to unload their cargo before entering the channel. The cargo is then transported by rail or road across Panama to the other coast, where it is reloaded onto the ship.
AFP: n according to last year, an average of 40 ships passed through the canal per day. Currently, the number is limited to 32 to save water.
Most of the users of the channel are US, Chinese and Japanese ships. On Thursday, more than 130 vessels were already queuing at the mouth of the canal on both sides, while the normal number is, according to AFP, about 90 ships. The waiting time for ships has already stretched to more than two weeks at times.
The canal is an important source of income for Panama, and the country is considering how to secure the operation of the canal when the climate dries up.