Panama Canal limits traffic as drought deepens
Panama canal traffic to be cut again as drought from El Niño worsens
Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Warm-up
- What do you know about the Panama Canal?
- How can weather affect transport or shipping?
- Have you ever waited a long time in a queue? For what?
Vocabulary
- drought
- A long period with very little rain, causing water shortages.
- El Niño
- A natural climate pattern that changes winds, pressure and rainfall worldwide.
- vessel
- A large boat or ship used for transporting people or goods.
- transit
- The act of passing through a place on a journey.
- auction
- A sale where people offer higher prices until the winner pays the top price.
- bid
- To offer a price in an auction to try to buy or win something.
- watershed
- An area of land where rain collects and flows into a river or lake.
- bottleneck
- A place or situation where movement slows because too many things are waiting.
Reading
The Panama Canal will cut traffic again as a drought linked to El Niño worsens. From October, an average of 29.5 vessels a day will be allowed to transit, down 18% from August's 36, under a draft plan.
The canal handles 5% of global maritime trade and about 40% of US container traffic. Queues have left some ships waiting 10 days. In August a container ship reportedly paid about $4m in a daily auction to bid for a slot and skip the line.
The 82km route connects the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean. Its locks use fresh water from Lake Gatun to lift ships 26 metres. Officials said the watershed received less rain than forecast, so further restrictions may be imposed if lake levels fall.
In 2023, low water cut daily transits from 38 to 22, creating a bottleneck and pushing companies to seek alternative routes. El Niño is expected to peak later this year and could be the strongest in four decades.
Comprehension
- What daily limit is planned from October?
- Why are officials increasing restrictions on the canal?
- What share of global and US container trade does the canal handle?
- How did one ship reduce its waiting time in August?
- What happened in 2023 when water levels were very low?
Grammar focus
Passive voice
Use the passive (be + past participle) when we focus on an action or its result, not who did it. The tense (is/was/will be) shows time.
- an average of 29.5 vessels a day **will be allowed** to transit
- further restrictions **may be imposed** if lake levels fall
Grammar exercise
Complete each sentence with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
- From October the daily limit (set) ___ by the Canal Authority.
- If lake levels fall, more limits (apply) ___ to transits.
- Last year many transits (cut) ___ because of low water.
- In August one slot (pay) ___ for in a daily auction.
- The route (link) ___ the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean.
Discussion
- How could canal delays affect prices or delivery times in your country?
- Should stricter limits be used to save water in the canal? Why or why not?
- What alternatives could shippers use when queues grow at the canal?
- How can countries prepare for stronger El Niño events?
Vocabulary, reading, and exercises with instant feedback