Low water levels have created a backlog of cargo vessels in one of the world’s key maritime shipping passageways.

The Panama Canal, a vital passageway that moves 6 percent of the world’s maritime commerce, will extend transit restrictions due to drought-induced low water levels.

Canal authorities first announced restrictions this year, creating a backlog of vessels waiting to cross. But on Thursday, those restrictions were extended for at least 10 additional months.

  • @[email protected]English
    12•1 year ago

    I don’t know much about how the canal works… why does it need rain water? Isn’t it connected to the ocean on both ends?

    I get that there’s a system of locks to raise/lower ships, but dont those just pump salt water in/out?

    • @[email protected]English
      19•1 year ago

      Water from the Rio Chagres is used to fill the locks using gravity and afterward flows out both ends of the canal. As far as I’m aware the water is not ever pumped upward.

    • @schroedingershatEnglish
      4•1 year ago

      I don’t think it’s sealed. The water table probably needs to be high enough for the water to not all vanish (and then salt the earth) or no pump would ever keep up.

      Same reason lithium brine mining depletes fresh water somewhat in spite of only involving pumping brine.