Congestion at the Panama Canal#
Beginning in October 2023, rainfall near the Panama Canal was 41% less than usual, marking it as the driest month since records began. This decrease in rainfall, a result of the El Niño phenomenon, has led to reduced water availability in the reservoir system. Consequently, the Panama Canal Authority has announced a reduction in the number of reservation slots, which is expected to decrease the canal’s capacity and cause congestion1.
We have tracked the positions of vessels around the Panama Canal from early July 2023 to November 2023.
References#
[1]
Panama Canal Authority. The driest month of october since 1950. Autoridad del Canal de Panamá, 2023. URL: https://pancanal.com/en/the-driest-month-of-october-since-1950/ (visited on 2023-11-07).