News / More rain sees normal service resumed on the Panama Canal – almost

© Yanik Chauvin

Healthy rainfall in recent months has restored the Panama Canal to near-full operating depth, after severe drought last year.

Water levels in the Gatun Lake reached 84.4ft today, allowing some 36 vessels to transit the canal a day from September and equivalent to a surcharge fee of just 0.38%.

The expectation is that the water level will return to 86.1ft by October.

Last year, the El Niño phenomenon brought a lack of rainfall which saw the canal depth hit a nadir of 79.24ft ...