パナマ運河の減便のメモ

　ここ暫らく、渇水で一日25便ほどに減便。なんとか、なんとか維持していたパナマ運河。

BBC El Nino drought: Panama Canal cuts ship numbers further 1 November 2023 By Peter Hoskins

　これは2023年11月の記事。70年以上の歴史で最悪の渇水という。

「The Panama Canal will make more cuts to the number of ships using the waterway due to the worst drought in over 70 years, authorities say.

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) says it has been forced to make the decision due to the driest October since records began in 1950.」

　365日24時間営業、年間13000~14000隻も船を移動させてきた。それがなんです、一日マックス31でもまだ減らした数なのに、さらに25に減少。それでは年間5500隻に満たない。31隻なら年間1万1千はいけるか。

「The Panama Canal greatly reduces the time and distance for ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, between 13,000 and 14,000 ships use it annually, according to the canal authority.」

「Starting from 3 November, booking slots will be cut to 25 per day from an already reduced 31 per day, the ACP said.

That number will be further reduced over the next three months to 18 slots per day from the start of February 2024.」

　2024年2月には一日あたり18隻に減らすぞという。

　さらに貨物の量も制限するようになって―通過量は49％にも減ってしまったという、3月に入っての記事。

BBC Can the Panama Canal save itself? 6 Mar 2024 By Michelle Fleury

「The most famous waterway in the Americas is running dry.

Unlike the Suez Canal, the Panama Canal is fed by a freshwater lake, Lake Gatún, and its water level is falling critically low.

After a choppy boat ride across Lake Gatún, Nelson Guerra, the Panama Canal Authority's hydrologist, points toward a rusted ruler beneath a tower on the western end of the water.

"The level, as you see on the rulers, is 81.20ft," he says. "The level should be five feet more than now."」

「The Panama Canal is reliant on rainwater, which is in short supply.

A lack of rain and the El Nino weather phenomenon have contributed to the second driest year in the canal's 110-year history.」

「A solution needs to be found lest global trade, which has become more unstable this year, gets even more so. Trade volumes through the Panama Canal have fallen 49% compared to its peak.」

　水量がたりないとパナマ人用の生活用水も足りない。ならば海水の脱塩装置でもあれば飲み水くらいは―とはいえ、それはそれで農業用の水が足りないだろう。多少の野菜程度はほしい。だって輸送量も通行数も減れば、運河通過料をそれだけ取れないわけでさあ…。