PANAMA CITY, Aug 20 (Reuters) – The Panama Canal Authority will cap daily transits as of early September as it gears up for a longer-than-usual El Niño season expected to reduce water levels, it said on Thursday, walking back a previous pledge to not limit vessel passage.
Under the new measures, the canal will limit daily transits as of Sept. 4 to 34 vessels, and reduce the number to 32 as of September 15.
The canal had registered an average of 35 daily transits through June 2026, corresponding to vessel demand, with the capacity to handle around 40 crossings per day.
In May, canal authorities told Reuters that the waterway was not planning vessel passage restrictions this year, and had already been taking water conservation measures since 2025.
According to an advisory issued Thursday, daily capacity as of Sept. 4 at the canal’s Neopanamax locks will be capped at nine slots, while capacity at the older Panamax locks will be limited to 25 slots.
As of Sept. 15, capacity at the Panamax locks will be further reduced to 23 slots.
The canal authority had previously tightened draft limits several times as part of its water management strategy.
(Reporting by Elida Moreno; Writing by Raúl Cortés Fernández and Natalia Siniawski, Editing by Daina Beth Solomon)
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