Low water levels at Panama Canal causing delays
The Panama Canal water levels have reached historically low levels. The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is reporting that from December 2018 through March 2019, the canal has been the driest its been in the last 106 years.
Due to these low levels, the ACP has announced its fifth draught reduction, going into effect April 30. Vessels arriving at the canal after April 30 with draughts over 13.41 metres TFW will likely be required to trim or off-load cargo in order to transit. Shippers are already experiencing an increase in blank sailings and rolled bookings out of Yantian, Ningbo, Fuzhou and Shanghai to New York.
Trans-Border will monitor to the situation and keep all our customers apprised of critical updates effecting their merchandise. If you have any questions in the meantime, please reach out to Bill Carey, Import Compliance Manager, at bcarey@tbgfs.com or give us a call at (800) 493-9444.
