The Panama Canal said on Wednesday it will tighten limits on how heavily loaded large ships can be in the coming weeks, as water levels and weather conditions continue to put pressure on the key trade route.
The canal authority said ships using its larger Neopanamax locks will face a maximum draft of 14.63 meters (48 feet) from August 26 and 14.48 meters (47.5 feet) from September 3 until further notice. Draft is the depth of water a ship needs to float safely, so a lower draft limit means vessels may have to carry less cargo in order to pass through the canal.
