ACP

In an advisory issued yesterday, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) announced a new adjustment to accommodate the growing demand for transits, by increasing the number of daily slots available in the Panamax Locks. ACP officials said that this announcement was made in response to the present and projected level of Gatun Lake.

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) announced it is raising the number of daily vessel transits to 24, effective January 16, 2024. The current number of vessel transits is 22, ACP officials said, and are divided into six Neopanamax and 16 Panamax vessels, with scheduled increase bringing those numbers to seven and 17, respectively, next month.

The ongoing drought conditions at the Panama Canal continue to significantly hamper operational throughput on various fronts. At the end of October, data issued by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) put the current situation into perspective, while also rolling out new operational measures with roughly 50 days (at that time) left in the “rainy season.”