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In Panama, the drought could slow trade. The famous Canal, which connects the Atlantic Pacific and through which transits 6% of the world’s maritime traffic, is fed by two lakes which are drying up.
Could the Panama Canal soon be at a standstill? The area is suffering from record drought, the beds of the lakes that feed the passage are dry. Today, the banks of the river are dry. Fishermen have never seen this. “This year has been the hardest I’ve had in terms of drought.“says a fisherman. The low rainfall caused the level of the passage to drop to three billion cubic meters of fresh water. It takes more than 5.2 for the navigation to work properly.
Disastrous consequences for maritime traffic
The Panama Canal is nevertheless vital for maritime traffic. It connects the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Due to a lack of sufficient water depth, the Canal administration even had to prohibit the passage of some of the largest boats. If the drought continues, the consequences will be disastrous. “In the worst-case scenario, the boats will have to pass by Cape Horn (…) therefore several thousand additional kilometers”explains Gordon Wilmsmeier, specialist in maritime logistics.
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