Panama Canal to cap daily transits, anticipating severe El Nino

PANAMA CITY: The Panama Canal Authority will cap daily transits as of early September as it gears up for a longer-than-usual El Nino season expected to reduce water levels, it said on Thursday (Aug 20), walking back a previous pledge to not limit vessel passage.Under the new measures, the canal will limit daily transits as of Sep 4 to 34 vessels, and reduce the number to 32 as of Sep 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 Se