Triggered by El Niño weather patterns and sharply reduced rainfall across the canal watershed, Gatun Lake water levels are under severe pressure. To conserve water resources, the Panama Canal Authority will cut daily transit slots step‑by‑step starting September: down to 34 vessels per day on Sep 3, and further reduced to 32 vessels per day from Sep 15 onwards.

As a direct result, current vessel waiting time for canal transit stands at 15‑20 working days, and schedule disruptions are highly likely. We strongly recommend you plan your shipments well in advance and set aside sufficient buffer lead‑time for any orders going forward.

Meanwhile, ocean freight rates for the US East Coast have increased significantly due to limited canal capacity, tighter vessel space and additional canal‑related surcharges imposed by carriers.

Please keep this logistics update in mind for your upcoming tire purchase plans. Feel free to reach out if you would like us to check the latest freight estimate for you.