154 ships are unable to move! The water level of the Panama Canal is running low

Since its opening in 1914, the Panama Canal has been a vital route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as well as an important trade link between Asia and the ports of the Gulf of Mexico and the East Coast of the United States.

40% of the annual container transportation volume in the United States is transported through the Panama Canal, with goods worth up to $270 billion. The total import and export container volume of goods in the United States accounts for 73% of the transportation volume of the Panama Canal, which can be said to be deeply linked to the import and export of goods on the East Coast of the United States and the Panama Canal.

But due to the continuous high temperatures this year, the Panama Canal has been plagued by drought since spring. Due to the historically low water level, the Panama Canal Authority implemented water-saving measures in late July, reducing the number of ships passing through the canal, as the canal gates lost 50 million gallons of water per ship.

At present, the number of ships queuing up for the Panama Canal has reached 154, with an average waiting time of 21 days.

At the same time, the management also requires a 40% reduction in the weight of ships, which means that many sailing ships have to find another ship to share their cargo.

Captain Adil Ashiq, the head of MarineTraffic North America, said that the situation will get worse before the water level rises.

Ashiq pointed out that ships must wait longer to pass through the canal, or sea carriers need to take alternative routes to reach their destination, but this will increase travel time and fuel costs. And these costs may ultimately be passed on to consumers.

Stephen Lamar, President and CEO of the American Clothing and Footwear Association, said helplessly that now is not the time to further pressure the supply chain. Shipping surcharges and restrictions on ship traffic may mean that American consumers have to accept the rise in clothing and shoe prices.

Alan Baer, CEO of logistics company OL USA, stated that importers may consider using the Suez Canal to transport goods, which is an effective solution for freight originating from ASEAN and southern China. However, for northern and northern Asia, using the Suez Canal as a substitute for transportation will add an additional 7-14 days of transportation time.

能源行业已经率先“抛弃”巴拿马运河。标准普尔全球指出，运载精炼石油产品的油轮已经避开巴拿马运河，转而预定前往大西洋的航线。

数据显示，6-7月期间，美国墨西哥湾沿岸通过巴拿马运河前往南美西海岸的石油产品出口同比下降了82%。

切尼尔能源公司则在7月宣布，将避免通过巴拿马运河运输液化天然气，尽管该路线是达到亚洲市场的最快路线。