Solid amounts of rain have allowed the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) to add three extra slots per day at its panamax locks, taking the total daily maximum transits to 27, still more than 10 shy of the waterway’s normal maximum, but a sign that the worst is over from the record drought that has been plaguing the canal since June last year.
Two additional slots will be offered through auction for transit dates beginning March 18, and an additional slot will become available for transit dates beginning March 25.
When operating at full capacity the canal can handle up to 40 vessels a day. As well as cutting daily transits the Panama Canal Authority has also slashed the maximum draft at its larger locks by close to 2 m.
There are currently 54 ships waiting to transit the canal, down from a peak of more than 160 last August.
Over the past 10 months a huge swathe of the global merchant fleet has decided to avoid the waterway over the long queues and high toll fees.
