Panama Canal Water Level: Getting Better...

[gmarsh]

https://phys.org/news/2024-03-panama-canal-averts-crisis.html

 

This article summarizes the effects of conservation efforts, transits increasing but still below the usual of 38 ships per day.

Official officials are expecting a good rainy season this year.

 

Seems to me that smaller ships like us shouldn't have any problem with the transit.

 

G

[rafinmd]

I'm not convinced a smaller ship uses less water, and in fact the opposite might be true.  When a lock at the end level opens, a set amount of water is used, than I think some of the water involved is returned to the sea or the lake as the ship enters, returning some water to the ocean or to the lake, so a high displacement ship may actually save water.  Still, I expect this is a relatively minor difference, and certainly good news about the coming season.

 

Roy

[ryndam]

The Serenity is a true Panamax vessel. And a very tight fit. These photos are from our transit in January 2024.

 

Rob

[BWIVince]

1 hour ago, rafinmd said:

I'm not convinced a smaller ship uses less water, and in fact the opposite might be true.  When a lock at the end level opens, a set amount of water is used, than I think some of the water involved is returned to the sea or the lake as the ship enters, returning some water to the ocean or to the lake, so a high displacement ship may actually save water.  Still, I expect this is a relatively minor difference, and certainly good news about the coming season.

 

Roy

 

I've been trying to use that mental justification for years...  The fatter I get, the more the displacement in the bathtub, the more water I'm conserving, the better for the environment.  😄 ...Or something like that. 😆 

 

Vince

[KenzSailing]

3 hours ago, BWIVince said:

 

I've been trying to use that mental justification for years...  The fatter I get, the more the displacement in the bathtub, the more water I'm conserving, the better for the environment.  😄 ...Or something like that. 😆 

 

Vince

 

Ah, but one's buoyancy increases over time.  Much safer that way.

[edgee]

I learned on a recent Canal cruise that cruise ships pay for high priority due to a need to keep on schedule so shortages of fresh water to use in locks has, at least up to now, not had any effect on them. Improvement in water supply will benefit freighters which cruise through with lower priority, ...will not have to wait as long.