Candidates must prioritize the ‘water crisis’ of the Canal

Water for operations Panama Canal must be a key issue in the government plan of the presidential candidates, warns the Panama Canal Pilots Association.

Workers in Panama Canal They consider the executive power headed by the President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortiz, to be directly responsible for the crisis that the interoceanic waterway is going through due to their lack of interest in making decisions on the expansion of the hydrographic basin for the operation of the canal. and to guarantee drinking water consumption for 50% of the population of Panama, a worsening situation El Niño phenomenon.

In its latest report,director of the Panama Canal, Ricurte Vásquez, It reported an estimated $700 million drop in toll revenue, despite the strategies implemented.

Vásquez noted that the Panama Canal has stopped receiving close to $100 million in monthly toll revenue compared to last year.

It should be noted that the Panama Canal has reduced transits to 24 from 32 and from an average of 36, due to the drought and to conserve water for human consumption, the administration pointed out.

In the first three months of the current fiscal year, there were a total of 791 fewer transits and 20% less cargo that passed through the canal compared to the same period of the previous year.

The future of current and future generations depends on the decisions that will be made soon, therefore it is of great importance to know the solution of the presidential candidates, as well as the maritime strategy they propose for the countries, said the new president of the Pilots Association, Adrián Ossa.’

twenty percent

The Panama Canal is reporting fewer cargoes amid the drought and water crisis it’s going through.

100

The channel stopped collecting millions of dollars less per month in tolls.

Demand for workers Panama Canal This comes at a time when the Panama Canal Authority is awaiting a hydrographic basin definition from the executive branch that will allow it to make decisions, particularly on the Indio River.

He The channel requires executive power definition of the basin that they could have the mandate or have the power to try to build the Río Indio, the Panama Canal administrator said.

In interviews for national media, Channel administrator, Alberto Alemán Zubieta, pointed out that the expansion of the Canal is not the cause of the crisis, but the amount of water it extracts from the basin, in addition to the crisis caused El Niño phenomenon.

Recently, the team at Alliance to Save Panama He met with the manager of the channel to discuss issues related to the work and future challenges of such an important state entity.

For several months, the Panama Canal pilots have been insisting on the need for the authorities to take immediate and effective measures to avoid a negative impact on world maritime trade. They believe that 6% of this market depends on the Panama Canal route, and they hope for a statement from the Executive Board soon.