Panama Canal Cuts Daily Transit Slots as Draft Falls to 48 Feet Amid Drought

The Panama Canal Authority's Advisories A-28-2026 and A-29-2026 (issued Aug 20) took effect Sept 3, trimming daily transit capacity for the first time this dry season — Neopanamax lock slots cut from 10 to 9 per day, Panamax slots from 26 to 25, with a further reduction to 23 Panamax slots scheduled for Sept 15. The move is a materially more restrictive step than the Aug 19 update, when the Authority said daily transit numbers would not be cut 'for now.' It followed the Sept 2 draft-limit cut to 48.0 feet (14.63m) for Neopanamax vessels — the sixth reduction since December 2025 — with a further cut to 47.5 feet provisionally scheduled for Oct 1. The ACP cited below-expected precipitation in the canal watershed, framing the adjustments as part of its ongoing water-management strategy to preserve freshwater resources while maintaining reliable operations through the El Niño-driven dry season.