Review article

Impact of Gatun Lake Water Level on Safety of Navigation in the Panama Canal

Sandro Velić ; University of Zadar, Maritime Department, Zadar, Croatia
Mate Barić orcid.org/0000-0003-4419-0873 ; University of Zadar, Maritime Department, Zadar, Croatia *
Ivan Toman orcid.org/0000-0002-8440-2503 ; University of Zadar, Maritime Department, Zadar, Croatia
Leonardo Šango ; Maritime high school Zadar, Zadar, Croatia

* Corresponding author.

Abstract

Since its last expansion, the Panama Canal is able to handle even bigger ships that sail through that
important bridge between two oceans. Such expansion in ship size brings higher demands regarding
the safety of navigation, especially in restricted fairways like the Culebra cut. However, the water
level in the Panama Canal has a large impact on the safety of navigation. If the water level is too low,
the safety of navigation can be endangered throughout the entire Canal. This paper analyses the impact
of droughts on the navigation through the Panama Canal and its influence on canal operations. Since
the lakes are mostly supplied through rainfall, future droughts could largely impact the Panama Canal
traffic and prevent increase in traffic despite bigger locks.

Keywords

Panama Canal, safety of navigation, droughts

Hrčak ID:

330007

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/330007

Publication date:

9.4.2025.

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