Maersk to move containers over land as Panama drought continues

Maersk is going to amend its OC1 Service, which includes the Panama Canal, to include transit over land.

It told clients that “to ensure that your cargo continues to move with as few delays as possible, we are amending our OC1 service, operating between Oceania and the Americas. The vessels that utilize the Panama Canal before will now omit the Panama Canal and use a “land bridge” that utilizes rail to transport cargo across the 80 km of Panama to the other side.”

Maersk said that “based on current and projected water levels in Gatun Lake, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has needed to make reductions to the amount and weight of vessels that can pass through the canal. Whilst we continue to work closely with the ACP, moderating and aligning our operations to fit the changes, we have made changes to services to ensure that our customers are impacted as minimally as possible.”

The new “land bridge” creates two separate loops at sea, one Atlantic and one Pacific. Pacific vessels will turn at Balboa, Panama, dropping off cargo heading for Latin America and North America and picking up cargo heading for Australia and New Zealand. Atlantic vessels will turn at Manzanillo, Panama, dropping off cargo heading for Australia and New Zealand and picking up cargo heading for Latin and North America.

Maersk said that at the moment on northbound vessels there were no delays to cargo stopping in Philadelphia and Charleston. However, on southbound vessels customers were warned that they might experience some delays.

To ensure cargo moves on this route, Maersk will be omitting Cartagena, Colombia. Customers with cargo to route through Cartagena will be served through alternate vessels.