The administrator of the Panama Canal, Ricaurte 'Catín' Vásquez, stated yesterday that tension in the Caribbean due to the military deployment of the United States as part of the fight against drugs has not affected ship transit through the canal. 'So far, we have not seen any changes in the canal's traffic patterns, on the contrary, today we are transiting 38 vessels' through the route connecting the Atlantic and the Pacific, Vásquez told reporters when asked about the matter. According to official data, the 82-kilometer navigable passage has the capacity to allow the transit of 36 to 38 ships daily. The main routes served by the Canal are the U.S. East Coast-Asia; U.S. East Coast-West Coast of South America, and Europe-West Coast of South America. All types of cargo pass through, from container ships, the star segment of the business, to refrigerated vessels with fruits, as well as bulk carriers, gas tankers, oil tankers, and car carriers.
