Shippers Should Expect Delays Due to Panama Canal Water LevelsShippers Should Expect Delays Due to Panama Canal Water Levels
- April 1, 2019
Extremely low water levels in the Panama Canal have led to the imposition of a draft restriction on the waterway due to safety considerations. Presently, there is no expiration date for the restriction, but it will be eliminated once water levels stabilize.
As of now, Maersk will roll almost all containers on GUNHILDE MAERSK/913E, which has delayed the vessel’s estimated time of arrival by 17 days.
Shippers are also seeing an increase in blank sailings and rolled bookings out of Yantian, Ningbo, Fuzhou and Shanghai to New York. In Busan, most shipments are expected to roll over a week.
Customers should plan to prepare for any effects stemming from shipment delays in the near term.
Shapiro will continue to monitor the situation and provide status updates as they become available.