8 August 2026
Why 47.5 is a scary number for East Coast ports
Drier weather and drought conditions are expected to complicate supply chain operations on key water routes from Panama to Europe. The Panama Canal Authority this week announced it will reduce the maximum draft for cargo vessels from 49. 5 feet to 47. 5 feet in a series of reductions slated through early September. The adjustment comes amid drought conditions after a dry rainy season lowered water levels in Gatun Lake, the body of water that feeds the locks of the Panama Canal linking the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
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