Panama Canal to temporarily bar biggest ships as drought lowers levels in waterway’s lakes

[Judi Lynn]

Panama Canal to temporarily bar biggest ships as drought lowers levels in waterway’s lakes
Aug 7, 2015 The Associated Press

PANAMA CITY – The Panama Canal Authority said Friday that next month it will temporarily limit the size of ships using the waterway because drought has lowered water levels in Gatun and Alhajuela lakes.

The restriction, which is the first such hold-down because of weather in nearly 20 years, takes effect Sept. 8 and had been expected by shippers. Only a minority of ships now using the canal will be kept out, the authority said.

Rainfall over the watershed feeding the lakes at the midsection of the waterway has fallen sharply as a result of the El Nino weather phenomenon, lowering the lake levels. Similar problems occurred in 1997-98.

The authority said ships will be limited to a maximum draft of 39 feet (11.89 metres) beginning Sept. 8. It added that the limit might be further reduced to 38.5 feet (11.73 metres) on Sept. 16.

http://www.canadianbusiness.com/business-news/panama-canal-to-temporarily-bar-biggest-ships-as-drought-lowers-levels-in-waterways-lakes/

[No Vested Interest]

1. By "biggest ships" I'm thinking cruise ships.

Is that correct?

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. No, cargo ships, I think

Here's a list of the largest cruise ships: http://www.shipcruise.org/cruise-ship-sizes-comparison-dimensions-length-weight-draft/

The only one over 30 feet is the Queen Mary 2 at 33 feet (and that was, I think, designed to still be able to do transoceanic voyages in stormy seasons, when a deeper draft can help stability). Some are wider than the 106 feet Panama limit, however.

No-one wants to be below sea-level on a cruise ship, so I think they design to keep the draft low anyway. But cargo doesn't mind being down there.

[No Vested Interest]

3. Thank you, Muriel. That makes sense.

I knew that some cruise ships were too big for the Panama Canal.

(I've been through the Panama Canal once - ca 18 yrs ago. Am now looking at another trip there with my adult kids. I've read that the ship I'm looking at -Princess line- was built with transit of the Canal in mind.)