The Panama Canal announced it will maintain a draft of 13.41 metres for the next several months, "as long as weather conditions do not vary significantly from current projections".

Panama Canal noted that consistent with this draft and along with this temporary condition, an average of 32 vessels per day will be allowed to transit.

"As part of a worldwide phenomenon, in the last six months, the Canal has experienced an extended dry season with high levels of evaporation, with a high probability of an El Niño condition before the end of this calendar year," pointed out the Canal in a statement.

The Canal added it has been implementing procedures to improve water efficiency in its operations, while conducting studies to identify long-term solutions to climate variability.