Panama Canal sees driest month of October since 1950
Published by Oliver Kleinschmidt,
Editorial Assistant
Dry Bulk,
This October was the driest since the earliest records, 73 years ago. The drought, caused by the El Niño phenomenon, continued to impact the Panama Canal’s reservoir system and reduced water availability.
In October 2023, there has been 41% less rainfall than usual, lowering Gatun Lake to unprecedented levels for this time of year.
Therefore, with less than two months left until the end of the rainy season, the Canal and the country face the upcoming dry season with a minimum water reserve that must guarantee supply for more than 50% of the population and, at the same time, maintain the operation of the interoceanic waterway.
New measures
Against this backdrop, the Panama Canal announces reservation slots available in order to maintain a competitive draft from November until February.
These measures are in addition to those previously adopted to preserve fresh water resources and to ensure the safety of transit operations, such as the use of water reutilisation basins in the Neopanamax locks and cross-filling in the Panamax locks.
The Panama Canal urges its customers to make reservations in order to transit as programmed. In addition, information is provided in advance, as well as in real time, so that shipping companies can plan accordingly.
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Read the article online at: https://www.drybulkmagazine.com/ports-terminals/01112023/panama-canal-sees-driest-month-of-october-since-1950/
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