Mexico City, 21 August 2026 (dpa/MIA) - The Panama Canal will reduce the number of ships allowed to transit each day from September as low rainfall has reduced water availability, the canal authority said.

Bookable transits will gradually fall from 36 to 32 per day, the Panama Canal Authority said on Thursday.

Despite the ongoing rainy season and water-saving measures introduced to mitigate the effects of the El Niño climate phenomenon, further preventive steps were needed to ensure the canal's long-term sustainability, the authority said.

The canal uses a system of locks, with freshwater flowing into the sea each time a ship passes through.

Rainfall between May and August was about 34% below the historical average for the period, the authority said. Forecasts also point to lower rainfall in the region as a result of the 2026-27 El Niño phenomenon.

With the dry season beginning in January, careful management and monitoring of water resources would be needed to secure supplies, the authority said.

The Panama Canal is an artificial waterway about 80 kilometres long that cuts through the Central American isthmus, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It saves ships from the long and hazardous journey around the southern tip of South America.

Photo: epa