Panama Canal temp freshwater fees

The Panama Canal authority has placed a short-term "freshwater" charge on shipping that started Feb. 15 to help the Panama Canal cope with climate change. The charge will cost the shipping industry - already hit by the fall out of the coronavirus - up to $370M a year. The Panama Canal charge is $10,000 for any vessel more than 125 feet long. The canal relies on water from nearby Gatun Lake, which has been hit by drought that affects water levels in the chokepoint. The Panama Canal authority also said it would bring in a variable surcharge based on the level of Gatun Lake to ensure the canal has enough water. The authority said the charges were a consequence of a lack of rainfall and that the charge was a short-term measure. The International Chamber of Shipping, which represents more than 80 percent of the global merchant fleet, said Feb. 20 that it was surprised by the charge after working with the canal authority on a separate increase in tolls due to come into effect in April. (Source: Marine Link 02/20/20) https://www.marinelink.com/news/shipping-industry-faces-mln-hit-new-475860?utm_source=MT-ENews-2020-02-20&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MT-ENews.