At a meeting with authorities of the Maritime Chamber of the Isthmus Country, the administrator of the AKP, Ricaurte Vázquez, confirmed that from November 1, the number of ships navigating the interoceanic waterway will be reduced from 32 to 31 as of last August. , as a way to manage water resources.
He acknowledged that the situation has caused delays for shipping companies and an impact on their routes, but assured that they are taking the necessary measures and informing customers in real time so that they can make their predictions.
Vásquez explained that the forecast made in the 2024 budget foresees 926 fewer passages of deep-sea vessels.
He also said that the aim was to keep the draft at 44 feet at all times and that the budget had also cut contributions to the central government by about $75 million.
“We have tried to maintain the economic results of the canal to ensure resources. We represent 10 percent of contributions to the central government and understand the relevance, but the main aim is to serve customers in the short term and continue the relationship in the long term,” he noted.
On the other hand, he claimed that among the alternatives to provide additional water to the lakes that supply the Panama Canal (Alajuela and Gatún), they favor the construction of a reservoir or reservoir on the Indio River.
Vásquez explained that an executive decision to build the reservoir on the Indio River will impact a number of communities in the region, but announced that they will be respectful to the residents of the affected areas.
He explained that the Bayano Lake proposal would remain in the background because the population that would be affected by the construction of a transfer pipeline with the necessary pumps from this reservoir to Alajuela is significantly greater than the costs caused by the Indio River .
The official clarified that Panama’s water problem arises from a cultural perspective when there were abundant resources, pointing out that water consumption is very high.
This is felt all the more strongly, he said, when the country goes through a prolonged period of drought, which is why he believes we need to be aware of the problem.
For her part, the President of the Maritime Chamber of Panama, Yira Poyser, stressed that the drought situation facing the Panama Canal and the country justifies the executive taking rapid measures to ensure the operation of the route and the water supply to the population.
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