Ruptly
"A large number of vessels are stranded in Panama Bay as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the Middle East conflict drives a surge in traffic through the Panama Canal. Footage filmed on Thursday shows merchant ships, yachts, sailing boats and other civilian vessels awaiting transit in Panama Bay. The armed conflict in the Middle East between the United States, Israel and Iran has increased the number of vessels attempting to access the canal, causing congestion at entry points. As a result, several shipping companies have had to plan their passage months in advance, while others without reservations face waiting times of up to five days. The Canal Authority has responded by offering last-minute transit slots through auctions, whose prices have also risen due to high demand, creating a new business model. "Now what is changing are the incentives, and that changes the rules of the game," said Eddy Tapiero, economist and senior consultant in multimodal logistics and international maritime trade. "Shipping companies are no longer only looking to transport cargo, but are seeking to integrate [...] controlling transport, port and data," he explained. Although transit volumes could decrease once normal conditions are restored in the Strait of Hormuz, the expert believes the new economic trend will remain. "The volume passing through Panama will change when Hormuz reopens, when it stabilises; however, the trend, this trend I am referring to, will indeed take hold and bring structural changes that will not be the same," he remarked. Panama Canal authorities officially stated that operations "are running efficiently and without congestion," reporting a 5 percent rise in transits and tonnage in the first half of fiscal year 2026, reaching 6,288 transits and 254 million tonnes."
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