The Panama Canal is operating at top capacity, with a daily passage of between 36 and 38 vessels, the waterway’s chief Ricaurte Vasquez told reporters, adding that the war on Iran was boosting demand by owners and operators of liquefied natural gas tankers, reports Reuters.
Demand was particularly strong for those loading at US ports, Vasquez added.
Since the war started, many vessels have been struggling to reach or have been avoiding the world’s largest waterway, the Suez Canal.
The Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passage used to transport energy products from Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, has been closed.
