The Panama Canal has been a diligent steward of its most precious resource—water, dedicating extensive research and investments to its management. However, 2023 has recorded some of the highest temperatures in history, causing far-reaching consequences for millions around the world, reports Ajot.
Operational and water-saving strategies are focused on critical steps, including:
• Adjusting the maximum draft and daily transit capacity. The lack of rainfall in the Panama Canal Watershed made it necessary to reduce the number of daily transits while managing the available water to maintain Gatun Lake at a level that allows us to continue offering a competitive draft for our customers and, above all, to maintain the availability of water necessary to supply the population. As in every dry season, draft restrictions were also announced at the waterway. Currently, vessels transiting the Neopanamax locks are allowed maximum drafts of up to 44 feet, while vessels transiting the Panamax locks have had no draft restrictions.
• Managing Water Shortage. At the Panamax locks, the Canal has found ways to reuse water from one lock chamber to another and has incorporated this technique as part of its daily operations. This maneuver, known as cross-filling, saves the equivalent consumption of six daily transits.
Other measures include tandem lockages, with two ships transiting at the same time occupying one chamber, whenever the size of the vessels allows it. Furthermore, the transit schedule has been optimized to maximize water savings in each chamber and accommodate the highest number of vessels. In the Neopanamax locks, the direction and schedule of transits are analyzed to make the most of every drop of this resource.
Additional procedures, such as the incremental usage of water-saving basins in Neopanamax locks; short chamber lockage in Panamax locks when vessel dimensions allow it; minimal changes of direction in the Gatun locks; stricter control of water leaks in valves and gates; suspension of hydraulic assistance during lockages; and maintaining Lake Miraflores at its maximum operating level, all add up to saving as much as 50% of this resource.
• Planning and Communicating in Advance. Despite all measures taken, the level of Gatun Lake has continued to decline to unprecedented levels for this time of year. Precipitation in October was the lowest on record for the month since 1950, coming in 41% below expected levels. So far, 2023 is on par to become the second driest year on record. Our hydrological department provides updates on the watershed situation and a projection of water consumption, under multiple scenarios given the poor rainfall experienced so far and expected in the upcoming months. Based on their forecasts, the Canal determined that a gradual reduction to 18 daily transits would be necessary to ensure water for human consumption and business continuity during the upcoming dry season. As always, the Canal has announced these changes far in advance to ensure ships can adapt long before departing for the waterway. Additionally, customers are provided with real-time information to make their business decisions.
In addition to these water-saving measures, we are currently exploring additional shorter-term solutions to help optimize the use and storage of water at the Canal. One such project is already in the tender process and will improve the use and reliability of water stored at Gatun Lake. (Tender No. 201803 1.2 Detalle de RFQ (pancanal.com)
The search continues for a set of long-term, concrete solutions.
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Source: Ajot
