The Panama Canal expects to be ready to combat a possible new drought, which could hit the world's second-largest waterway within four years, by accommodating larger vessels, securing dedicated passage for some ships and expanding its water reservoirs' capacity, its chief, Ricaurte Vasquez, said on Monday.
The Panama Canal expects to increase the number of daily transit slots for vessels to 36 from the current 34 beginning in September, the canal's deputy administrator said, as rains allow authorities to ease drought-imposed restrictions.Panama experienced its third-driest year on record in 2023
The Panama Canal authority said on Wednesday that recent rains boosted water levels, allowing heavier ships with larger cargo loads to transit the canal's Neopanamax locks.The maximum ship depth for the key global waterway will be set at 47 feet (14.33 m) effective immediately, and on July 11, will deepen to 48 feet (14.63 m), the canal authority said in an advisory to clients.
The Panama Canal will increase the total number of vessels authorized to pass through the waterway to 34 per day following rains that have allowed water levels to recover, its authority said late on Monday.The new slots will be effective in July. The maximum draft for ships transiting the canal's largest locks will also be increased to 46 feet starting in mid June
The refloat and transit of the M/V Dali from its current location to a local marine terminal is slated for early Monday morning.Optimum conditions call for the transit of the M/V Dali to commence at high tide, predicted to be Monday at 5:24 a.m. The vessel will be prepared at 2 a.m., allowing the M/V Dali to catch the peak high tide for a controlled transit.
The first commercial vessel transited through a newly opened channel in the Port of Baltimore following the deadly collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.The Fort McHenry Limited Access Channel (LAC) was opened as a temporary solution to provide passage for a limited number of commercial vessels into the Port of Baltimore and a departure opportunity for some deep draft vessels currently unable
The volume of goods moving through Spain's top ports rose by as much as 25% in January as attacks on shipping in the Red Sea caused companies to divert Europe-bound vessels around southern Africa instead.Spain's northern ports have also seen volumes in transit jump by up to triple as traders opt to avoid moving goods by truck through Europe because of widespread blockades by farmers
Shipping group CMA CGM on Friday suspended until further notice all crossings by its vessels of the Bab al-Mandab Strait in and out of the Red Sea due to security risks, a source familiar with the matter said.The decision was taken after the latest attacks on vessels by Houthi militants in Yemen, including the targeting this week of a convoy containing CMA CGM-operated ships, the source said.
Yemen's Houthi rebels on Friday stepped up attacks on vessels transiting the Red Sea, including a hit on a fuel tanker operated on behalf of trading firm Trafigura that sparked a fire.Trafigura said that the fuel tanker Marlin Luanda, which was operating on its behalf, was struck by a missile as it transited the Red Sea.
Maersk said explosions nearby forced two ships operated by its U.S. subsidiary and carrying U.S. military supplies to turn around when they were transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait off Yemen, accompanied by the U.S. Navy."While en route, both ships reported seeing explosions close by and the U.S.
Several liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels have changed their courses in recent days to avoid the Red Sea region amid maritime attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis on the world's main East-West trade route.The Red Sea is linked to the Mediterranean by the Suez Canal, creating the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia
The number of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels transiting the Panama Canal to Asia halved in November compared with a year ago as Asia prices for the gas this week traded at their steepest premium to European prices in nearly two years.A severe drought has cut vessel traffic through the canal