Panama Canal records cargo transit high amid Strait of Hormuz closure

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) announced that the canal reached a record cargo transit of 521 million tons over the last fiscal year, spanning October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026. This milestone was achieved despite reduced vessel traffic caused by El Niño-induced droughts that lowered freshwater levels in the canal's artificial lakes.

The surge in cargo was driven by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East, which forced ships seeking safer routes for energy transport to utilize the Panamanian waterway. To accommodate this shift, daily transits were temporarily increased from 36 to 41 vessels. The canal remains a critical maritime route, connecting East Asian markets such as China, Japan, and South Korea with the eastern coast of the United States.