From Marine Insight, December 18:
The Panama Canal said today that, for the benefit of its customers, it will raise the number of per day transits to 24 beginning in January under Advisory to Shipping No. A-54-2023.
There are now 22 vessels that pass by every day — six Neopanamax plus 16 Panamax. This restriction is a reaction to the difficulties presented by Gatun Lake’s current conditions, which are abnormally low for this time of year because of the drought brought on by the El Niño phenomena.
For the Canal Watershed, October 2023 was the driest October ever recorded. It was decided to reduce the number of per day transits to 22 in December 20 in the month of January, and 18 in February in anticipation of a possible deterioration of the circumstances in November and December. This year is the first year transit restrictions have ever been necessary for the Canal....
....MUCH MORE
Recently:
"Panama Canal drought to delay grain ships well into 2024"
"Panama Canal backlog risks chardonnay shortage"
El Niño 2023 -2024 Won't Be As Deep As Feared
There have been some borderline hysterical headlines over the course of the last year or so:
- El Niño Is Coming—and the World Isn’t Prepared
- Forecasted El Niño Could Cost $3-Trillion in Losses Globally
- El Niño’s storm clouds gather over global food prices
- The Looming El Niño Could Cost the World Trillions of Dollars
- How ETFs are bracing for the turbulence of El Niño
