PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - The Panama Canal Authority will temporarily lower the maximum draft of ships passing through the canal, due to droughts caused by El Nino, authorities said on Friday.
Starting on Sept. 8, the greatest draft allowed will be 39 feet (11.89 m), down from the current maximum of 39.5 feet (12.04 m), the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) said.
The change could affect about 20 percent of ships that use this route, ACP records show.
If the droughts persist, authorities said they could further reduce the draft to 38.5 feet (11.73 m), starting on Sept. 16.
(Reporting by Elida Moreno; Editing by Ken Wills)
