Post by @CelloMomOnCars@mastodon.social

@CelloMomOnCars@mastodon.social 3 yr. ago

The “Pinch that stole Christmas”:
Brill.

"The possibility of a canal bottleneck turning into the “Pinch that stole Christmas” should be a catalyst for buyers, manufacturers and shipping companies to reassess their whole approach to supply and logistics. Centralising manufacturing and piling products into ever-larger ships makes less sense if transport bottlenecks diminish economies of scale."

#PanamaCanal
https://www.afr.com/companies/transport/climate-change-could-ruin-christmas-as-panama-canal-dries-up-20231206-p5epg4

Australian Financial Review

Climate change could ruin Christmas as Panama Canal dries up

A drought in Central America is slowing the passage of container ships through one of the world’s busiest trade routes.

#panamacanal

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CelloMom On Cars

@CelloMomOnCars@mastodon.social 3 yr. ago

"More than 40% of consumer goods traded between north-east Asia and the US east coast are transported through the #PanamaCanal.

In normal times, the Panama Canal has capacity to handle 36 ships a day. But as water has grown scarcer, the canal authority has reduced that number to 22. By February, it will be just 18."

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/dec/22/changing-climate-casts-a-shadow-over-the-future-of-the-panama-canal-and-global-trade

the Guardian

Changing climate casts a shadow over the future of the Panama Canal – and global trade

Facing a near unprecedented ‘rainfall deficit’, the Panama Canal has been forced to restrict the number of vessels passing through it

11 months later

CelloMom On Cars

@CelloMomOnCars@mastodon.social 2 yr. ago

"The #PanamaCanal Authority aims to create a massive dam 840 meters in length and 80.5 meters in height to secure freshwater for its locks. It says the reservoir's 1.25 billion cubic meters of water would allow up to 15 additional vessel transits per day during the dry season, and help provide #DrinkingWater to Panama's growing 4.5 million population."

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/sustainability/threatened-by-climate-change-panama-canal-has-big-plans-to-deal-with-drought/articleshow/115919589.cms

The Economic Times

Economic Times

The Panama Canal Authority aims to create a massive dam 840 meters in length and 80.5 meters in height to secure freshwater for its locks. It says the reservoir's 1.25 billion cubic meters of water would allow up to 15 additional vessel transits per day during the dry season, and help provide drinking water to Panama's growing 4.5 million population.

1 year later

CelloMom On Cars

@CelloMomOnCars@mastodon.social 4 mo. ago

Mexico’s Interoceanic Rail Corridor "operates as a “dry canal.” Cargo arrives by ship, is unloaded onto freight trains, transported across southern Mexico and then reloaded onto vessels on the opposite coast.

Unlike Panama, the rail-based system doesn’t rely on water levels, giving it a potential edge during periods of climate-related disruption. It may also appeal to operators of larger vessels that can struggle to pass through the canal’s locks."

https://hsjchronicle.com/mexico-interoceanic-rail-corridor-panama-canal-competition/

The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

Mexico’s Interoceanic Rail Corridor Aims to Challenge Panama Canal

Mexico is developing a rail-based interoceanic corridor to move cargo between oceans in hours, positioning it as a potential alternative

CelloMom On Cars

@CelloMomOnCars@mastodon.social 2 mo. ago

The Panama Canal handles 5 percent of global maritime trade and about 40 percent of all U.S. container traffic. It may soon transform into a choke point, with ships waiting longer and carrying less cargo.

Climate change [is] further stoking drought in this region. While the Panamanian government and shipping companies try to adapt, consumers may be forced to pay the price. Experts expect this situation will increase costs associated with shipping goods worldwide. "

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/25082026/todays-climate-el-nino-drought-panama-canal/

Inside Climate News

A Severe Drought Is Straining the Panama Canal. Could Global Warming Make It Worse? - Inside Climate News

An El Niño-fueled drought is forcing the Panama Canal to reduce ship traffic, which could have profound impacts for businesses and consumers.

CelloMom On Cars

@CelloMomOnCars@mastodon.social 2 hr. ago

"Panama’s economy relies heavily on the Panama canal – and the canal is acutely vulnerable to the climate crisis. The 50-mile waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans accounts for up to 7.7% of Panama’s GDP. The freshwater lakes that supply the canal’s locks, Gatún and Alajuela, also provide drinking water for about 2 million people – nearly half of Panama’s population. A sizeable chunk of the country’s hydroelectricity generation also depends on the watershed."

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/oct/20/panama-canal-environment-water-drought-el-nino-farming

the Guardian

‘For Panama, it is life or death’: how drought is choking the canal that feeds a nation

Failed rains and a dire El Niño threaten the waterway that sustains the country, with farmers selling cattle to survive