Due to an unusually low amount of rain in December, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) announced Monday that the maximum draft for a ship transiting the Neopanamax locks will be restricted to 49 feet, or 14.94 meters, as of February 11. Receive daily email alerts, subscriber notes & personalize your experience. Register Now The new restriction will decrease the maximum allowed draft in the Gatun Lake by 1 foot, or by 0.3 meter from the last maximum restriction, which was implemented June 26, 2018m at 50 feet, or 15.24 meters. The decrease in the maximum allowable draft is based on the projected water level of Gatun Lake. The ACP announced that the precipitation during December was around 90% below the historic average in the Panama Canal watershed, which caused water levels at the Gatun and Madden Lakes to drop lower than expected for the season. As a […]