The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is as soon as once more scheduled draft restrictions for all ships passing via Canal as a result of a continued drought within the area associated to this season’s robust El Niño.  

The ACP says these short-term and preventive measures are as a result of low water ranges within the Gatun and Alhajuela Lakes brought on by drought within the Canal Watershed.

The draft restrictions, introduced Monday in an Advisory to Shipping, set the utmost draft at 11.89 meters (39.0 ft) Tropical Fresh Water (TFW), efficient April 18, 2016. The most approved transit draft is outlined because the deepest level of TFW immersion for every particular vessel in Gatun Lake.

The ACP says the brand new measures are being taken to make sure the continual and secure operation of the Panama Canal throughout a interval the place water ranges of Gatun and Alhajuela Lakes have fallen considerably under their common for this time of yr.

Vessels loaded to drafts over 11.89 meters (39.0 ft) previous to or on March 21, can have their draft restriction waived for transit, topic to security concerns, whereas vessels loaded after March 21 shall adjust to the brand new draft limitation, the ACP says. 

In August, the ACP introduced related draft restrictions that have been scheduled to change into efficient September 8, however rain within the Canal Watershed prevented the restrictions from ever coming into into pressure. 

The ACP was confronted with an identical state of affairs in the course of the the robust 199-1998 El Niño, which required preventative changes of operations.