Ships facing delays transiting Panama Canal

The Panama Canal Authority is providing scant details on delays carriers are facing transiting the waterway, attributing them to increased vessel traffic and fog.    The Panama Canal Authority is providing scant details on delays carriers are facing transiting the waterway.
   A carrier executive told American Shipper that his company’s ships are being delayed five to nine days.
   In a statement, the Panama Canal Authority said “the Canal is experiencing higher demand in a period that is normally a slower season.”
   “To expedite traffic, the Canal has adjusted planned routine maintenance and reduced the number of available bookings to lessen transit waiting time,” it added. “Non-booked vessels who have not reserved a transit appointment in advance will be serviced for transit in turn based on arrival.”
   An advisory issued Oct. 7 by the authority said it was “experiencing an increase in vessel backlog, and despite measures taken, the number of vessels transit has not been reduced to acceptable levels.” It said at the time it was implementing “Condition 1.a” under which number of reserved transit slots may be reduced.
   “In addition to increased demand, heavy fog and increased traffic from the West coast strike have contributed to the current situation,” the canal said today.
   The authority recently announced it had set a historical tonnage record with 340.8 million Panama Canal tons (PC/UMS) through the Canal, a 4.3 percent increase compared to last year’s tonnage.
   “We are working hard to improve the situation, deploying new resources and innovative solutions. We are making slow and steady progress,” said the Panama Canal Authority.