Long Wait at Panama Canal Shows the Power of El Nino

The number of ships waiting to cross the Panama Canal was 45 higher as of Tuesday than the maximum the waterway’s authority likes to keep waiting, reflecting the impact of a drought exacerbated by the El Nino weather phenomenon.

Of the 135 vessels waiting for passage at both the Atlantic and Pacific entrances, 53 have made reservations and will transit the canal as scheduled, the Panama Canal Authority (PCA) said Tuesday.