Panama Canal maintains competitive draft for the following months

25 July 2023

In light of the prolonged effects of the dry season and in compliance with its responsibility to provide reliable and sustainable service, the Panama Canal has notified its customers that, effective immediately, it will maintain a draft of 44 feet or 13.41 meters for the next several months, as long as weather conditions do not vary significantly from current projections.

Consistent with this draft and along with this temporary condition, an average of 32 vessels per day will be allowed to transit.

As part of a worldwide phenomenon, in the last six months, the Canal has experienced an extended dry season with high levels of evaporation, with a high probability of an El Niño condition before the end of this calendar year.

The Canal has been implementing procedures to improve water efficiency in our operations, while conducting studies to identify long-term solutions to climate variability. However, the current severity coupled with its recurrence is historically unprecedented.

The Panama Canal remains committed to ensuring safe and reliable operations in the short term and optimal services for years to come.



Panama Canal Authority press release