Topic
panama canal
Logistics Panama Canal Cuts Daily Booking Slots as El Niño Threat Disrupts Vessel Scheduling
The Panama Canal Authority is cutting daily booking capacity from 36 to 34 vessels starting July 25, suspending close-in 'Period 3' slot auctions for regular and super Panamax vessels. The measure responds to growing El Niño fears and follows a draft reduction on July 1. Norton Lilly warns affected vessels face greater difficulty securing passages, and competition for advance bookings is expected to rise.
Logistics Panama Canal Tightens Draught Limits for Neopanamax Vessels Again Starting July 24
The Panama Canal Authority will reduce maximum authorised draught for neopanamax vessels to 14.94 metres from July 24 and further to 14.78 metres from August 15, citing hydrological conditions and a potential El Niño. The restrictions signal a return to defensive water management ahead of the dry season, though not yet as severe as the 2023-24 drought.