In Panama, in front of the canal, a monster traffic jam of ships blocked due to drought

2023-09-11 15:22:52

The scene is spectacular. At the entrance to the Panama Canal, dozens of motionless ships stretch out as far as the eye can see, waiting to access the passageway between the Atlantic and the Pacific. These aerial images, filmed on September 10, 2023 by an AFP journalist, and visible in the video at the top of this articleillustrate the tension that has reigned since this summer at this key point in global maritime traffic, while the drought has led the Panamanian authorities to reduce the number of boat passages.

Since the end of July, the number of ships authorized each day to use the Panama Canal has fallen from 40 to 32. Likewise, their draft – that is to say the height of the submerged part of the boat – has been reduced to 44 feet (13.4 meters).

The rest after the ad

A consequence of the lack of rain

These restrictions, which could last up to a year, are dictated by the lack of rain affecting the region, a consequence of both climate change and the El Niño phenomenon. Due to low rainfall, the canal’s locks, which use fresh water and allow ships to cross the isthmus from one end to the other, can no longer be supplied sufficiently. This fresh water comes from Lakes Gatún and Alajuela, which also have the function of providing drinking water to the population.

40 days at 45°C: the experience that helps us adapt to extreme heat

During the month of August, the number of ships waiting on both sides of the canal rose to 160 at a time. The waiting time has also increased, reaching up to nineteen days for certain boats, while it is usually between three and five days.

80 kilometers long, the canal provides direct access between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, which allows it to bypass the South American continent. Around 6% of global maritime trade passes through it. The main countries that use it are the United States, China and Japan.