Panama - Navigating crises at the canal | DW Documentary

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Panama's famous canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. But, this important gateway for world trade is increasingly blocked. Cargo ships often have to wait weeks for passage, because water levels in the canal are too low. The cause? Drought.

Every day, 30 - 40 ships pass through the Panama Canal, carrying one-and-a-half million tons of cargo. The authorities are prepared to do just about anything to preserve the valuable canal. It is, after all, Panama's main source of income. They regularly pump as much water from the country's reserves as possible into the canal. This water is needed to operate the locks. But it is also drinking water, and the population relies on it. For every ship that passes through, 200 million liters of freshwater flow into the sea.

At the height of the crisis in 2023, over 163 ships had to drop anchor. More and more container ships therefore prefer to bypass the Panama Canal, even if it means taking a long detour. For those in a hurry, there is a solution. The canal authority auctions off emergency passages. These can cost up to 2,5 million dollars, 40 times the normal rate.

Panama is an important transit route for goods. But it’s also part of a dangerous human migration route. In 2023, half a million men, women and children risked their lives on the waterway trying to reach North America. Despite the risks, more migrants arrive every year.

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