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The Panama Canal. (Graham Chadwick/ALLSPORT, Getty Images)
Panama will temporarily limit the size of ships using the waterway because drought has lowered water levels in Gatun and Alhajuela lakes.
The Panama Canal Authority said Friday the restrictions take effect Sept. 8 but only a minority of ships now using the canal will be kept out. The restrictions have been expected by shippers.
Rainfall over the watershed feeding the lakes at the midsection of the waterway has fallen sharply as a result of the El Nino weather phenomenon. Similar problems occurred in 1997-98.
The authority said a ship’s maximum allowable draft will be 39 feet (11.89 meters) at first, but might be further reduced to 38.5 feet (11.73 meters) on Sept. 16. About five or six of the 36 ships now using the canal daily will be affected.
Courtesy of wtvq.com
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