Panama Canal Authority changes booking condition to reduce non-booked vessels’ transit

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has revoked 'Booking Condition 3’ for its Panamax locks, reinstating ‘Booking Condition 1A’ from 3 September, shipping agent Inchcape says.

PHOTO: Port of Balboa at Panama's Pacific Ocean side. Getty Images

Under Condition 3, which was in place until Saturday, the authority allowed non-booked vessels to pass through the canal as the third booking period slots were cancelled. This was done to reduce a backlog of vessels in the waterway.

However, with the implementation of Condition 1A from 3 September, the third booking period slots will be offered again, which means the ACP's capacity to accommodate non-booked vessels will be reduced. This could lead to an increase in the backlog.

These restrictions have already caused severe backlogs of vessels waiting to cross the waterway in both directions. A total of 115 vessels were in the queue for transit as of this morning, a slight decrease from the 129 recorded at the beginning of August, ACP data shows.

Besides, ACP has cautioned that the canal traffic will be high during the Christmas season due to peak cargo movement, which may result in longer waiting times.

Water levels in the 166-mile Gatun Lake, which forms a major part of the Panama Canal, have been significantly impacted this summer by a record decline in rainfall and the El Nino phenomenon. As a result, the Canal is expected to experience exceptionally low water levels for several months.

By Debarati Bhattacharjee

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