Panama Canal El Niño draught restrictions not as severe as first feared

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has updated its customer advisory, removing some draught restrictions in September, which were initially set due to an anticipated drought caused by weather phenomenon El Niño.

The advisory sets the maximum draft at 11.89 m (39.0 ft) Tropical Fresh Water (TFW), effective 8 September, affecting 18.5% of vessels which normally transit the canal.

The maximum authorised transit draft is defined as the deepest point of TFW immersion for each specific vessel in Gatun Lake.