Panama Canal, facing big backlog, to curb reserved spots

HOUSTON (Reuters) – The Panama Canal, facing a backlog of more than 130 vessels, is taking temporary measures to ease delays caused by increased traffic and maintenance work, the authority that runs the crucial waterway said on Friday.

Bookings for priority passage are being reduced for the second time this month and additional crews have been assigned to increase capacity at the canal's locks.

The Panama Canal Authority also said in an email to Reuters it is postponing non-critical maintenance.

"In response to concerns expressed by the maritime industry, the Panama Canal has been implementing measures to help reduce the backlog," the company said.

About half of the vessels waiting are carrying crude or refined products, according to Reuters ship tracking data.

Delays started in late September when the canal was under a dry-chamber overhaul planned as part of preventive maintenance. Critical phases of the repairs were completed, but remaining work had to be postponed as the number of ships waiting to pass increased considerably.

A first reduction in available booking slots earlier this month was not enough to reduce the number of vessels awaiting.

The company has not publicly said how many ships are awaiting, but vessel tracking systems showed more than 130 on Friday morning between the two anchorages, including bulkers and tankers, which means a wait time of some five days for vessels not paying premiums to reserve a space.

A normal waiting period is 24-36 hours, depending on the traffic and whether vessels arrive with reservations for priority passage.