Panama Canal Authority reviews draft limits amid El Niño water risk

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has begun evaluating a reduction in the maximum draft allowed for Neopanamax vessels as the El Niño weather pattern threatens water levels in the Gatún and Alajuela lakes that feed the canal. The proposed change would lower the draft from 15.24 m to 15.09 m – a cut of about 15 cm (roughly one foot). Although modest, the reduction could mean the loss of several hundred containers on a typical 12‑15 k TEU ship and add 1,000‑2,000 tonnes of cargo for each vessel, raising shipping costs and transit times.

The move is preventative, aiming to avoid a repeat of the 2023‑2024 drought that forced the canal to limit daily transits, created queues, and boosted logistical expenses. Currently, water levels allow drafts up to 50 ft, but the authority warned that a one‑foot reduction could be implemented by the end of June if conditions worsen. The canal handles about 5 % of global maritime trade and sees roughly 38 ships per day, making any capacity change significant for worldwide supply chains. The ACP is also pursuing water‑saving measures such as more efficient lock operations and temporary limits on some hydro‑electric capacity to preserve water for navigation.