The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) said on Thursday that it has made big inroads into the wait times for ships, slashing the delay to four days from as much as 10 days as recently as a week ago.
Traffic jams of vessels had been building at both ends of the waterway due to a variety of reasons and the ACP – the government agency responsible for the operation and management of the canal – introduced measures last week designed to alleviate the backlog which dated back to September.
The measures, which came into effect on 12 November, included: assigning additional crews to man tugs, locomotives and locks; postponing non-essential maintenance work; easing the booking system; and cancelling draft restrictions.
Four days wait is still longer than the norm, which should be 24 to 36 hours.
