Despite predictions that global ports would become inoperable by 2050 due to rising sea levels, a lack of water in Panama is making the canal transit increasingly difficult. The drought in Panama is a culmination of more than twenty years of reduced rainfall to inland freshwater sources, eliminating much of the runoff water that typically...Read More

Panama Canal: A Suffering Trade Route A severe drought is affecting the Panama Canal, forcing container vessels to lighten their loads and pay higher fees. With increases in shipping costs expected this summer, the largest vessels will have to reduce their drafts — how low they sit in the water — by carrying less or...Read More