The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) increased daily transit slots to 27, up from 24 in December 2023, due to improved water levels. This adjustment comes after a period where transits were significantly reduced from a potential 34-38 per day, mainly because of severe droughts caused by the El Niño phenomenon. The canal, a critical maritime route, had to manage its resources carefully during one of the driest years, impacting global shipping routes and scheduling.
In response to the canal's previous transit restrictions, Maersk, a major global shipping company, altered its Oceania – North America East Coast (OC1) service. They split the service into two, introducing a rail connection to bypass the Panama isthmus, effectively creating a two-loop system. However, with the canal's increased transit slots, Maersk announced it would reinstate the Panama Canal transit in its OC1 service starting May 10, 2024, and phase out the rail-land bridge link by the end of May.
The OC1 service will resume its original maritime route, which includes stops in Philadelphia, Charleston, Balboa, Tauranga, Sydney, Melbourne, Port Chalmers, Manzanillo, Cristobal, and Cartagena, navigating through the Panama Canal.