Container ships are lined up in the Panama Canal

Trade & Border IssuesHot Spots
Written By Jennifer Joslyn
Container ship hauling containers sits in the Panama Canal against blue skies. The containers are blue, red, and orange. The boat is light blue and there is green grass below the boat.

Photo by Rikin Katyal on Unsplash

According to Bloomberg, 101 container ships are currently queuing for passage through the Panama Canal, making the average six more than typical. The Panama Canal is a 40-mile journey between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

There are significant ripple effects of the rampant Chinese lockdowns being felt at the trade route. Ships traveling through the Panama Canal rose 18% in April as compared to April 2021, but May dropped due to shutdowns in China. Panama Canal Authority Administrator Ricaurte Vasquez points to shipping delays being related to Beijing’s “Zero-Covid” policy.

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Jennifer Joslyn
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