The lack of rains reduced the daily passage of ships from 38 to 22, although the situation has normalized in recent months with the arrival of the rainy season in the country.
The number of ship transits in the Panama Canal decreased by 29% in the last year, compared to the previous year, due to the drought, the infrastructure authority reported Tuesday.
According to data provided by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) to the AFP, during the fiscal year of 2024 by this maritime route, 9,944 vessels passed through this maritime route.
That figure is 29 per cent less compared to the previous fiscal year, when 14,080 ships crossed the Panama Canal.
The ACP also reported in a statement that 423 million tonnes of cargo passed through the channel, 17% less than 511 million the previous year.
The fiscal year runs from 1 October to 30 September of the following year.
Most boats that crossed the canal in the last year were container ships (2,773), chimiqueros (1,808), gas stations (1,561) and bulk carriers (1,278).
The fall in the number of transits is due to the measures implemented by the ACP in late 2023 to address the lack of drought-proof water.
The ACP has not yet released the revenue figure for the last fiscal year.
Unlike the Suez Canal, Panama’s operates with fresh water that takes two artificial lakes, whose levels suffered a considerable decrease due to the shortage of precipitation.
The lack of rains reduced the daily passage of ships from 38 to 22, although the situation has normalized in recent months with the arrival of the rainy season in the country.
The Panamanian route projects a record income of $5.623 billion in 2025, when about 13,900 ships are expected to pass with 520 million tons of cargo.
The 80-kilometre Panama Canal was inaugurated by the United States on August 15, 1914 and since then more than 1.2 million boats have crossed its waters.
The main routes range from Asia to the east coast of the United States. This country, along with China, Japan and South Korea, are its main users.
It is estimated that 5 per cent of global maritime trade passes the Panamanian route.
This article has been translated after first appearing in Diario El Mundo