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國際時事跟讀 Ep.K643: Panama Canal Faces Ship Traffic Limits Amid Drought Impact

The Panama Canal, a crucial maritime passage connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, is confronting a significant challenge as its water levels drop due to an ongoing drought. This environmental concern has compelled officials to implement restrictions on the number of ships that can navigate through the canal on a daily basis.
巴拿馬運河是連接大西洋與太平洋的關鍵海上通道，目前正面臨因持續性旱災而造成水位下降的重大挑戰。這個環境議題已經迫使官方針對每天通過運河的船隻數量實施限制。

Ricaurte Vásquez Morales, the canal's administrator, disclosed that the operating team has made the difficult decision to limit the passage of ships to a maximum of 32 per day. This marks a reduction of approximately 14% from the usual average of 36 to 38 daily ship transits. The rationale behind this measure lies in the canal's reliance on freshwater rather than seawater. Insufficient rainfall during the summer season has adversely affected the canal's water supply, leading to a diminished capacity to accommodate regular traffic.
巴拿馬運河的總管Ricaurte Vásquez Morales透露，運河的營運團隊已經做出了艱難的決定，將每天通過運河的船隻數量限制為最多32艘。這表示了每天船舶過境數量從平常的36到38艘左右減少了約14％。這項措施背後的理由在於，運河依賴的是淡水而不是海水。夏季期間降雨不足對運河的水供應造成了不利影響，導致運河容納常規交通的能力減弱。

As a direct consequence of the constrained ship traffic, the Panama Canal is also bracing for a potential financial setback. Vásquez expressed concerns that the canal's earnings could plunge by a staggering $200 million in the upcoming year. This sharp decline in revenue is primarily attributed to the projected loss of income resulting from reduced ship movements.
作為限制船舶交通的直接後果，巴拿馬運河也在為可能的財務下滑做好準備。Vásquez表達了擔憂，運河的收入可能在未來一年內暴跌多達2億美元。收入急遽下降的主要原因來自於預計減少的船隻運行量導致的收入損失。

Notably, the Panama Canal's unique reliance on freshwater sets it apart from other maritime routes that utilize seawater for their operations. Vásquez highlighted this distinction, emphasizing the challenges posed by the current drought. In light of these difficulties, he stressed the necessity of adaptation to ensure the canal's viability as an indispensable international trade route.
值得注意的是，巴拿馬運河獨特的淡水依賴使其與其他利用海水運作的海上航線有所不同。Vásquez強調這個區別，強調目前因旱災帶來的挑戰。鑑於這些困難，他強調必須進行適應以確保運河作為不可或缺的國際貿易通道的生存能力。

The situation is further compounded by meteorological projections indicating the possible exacerbation of the drought. The El Niño climate pattern, known for causing both drought and flooding in the Pacific Ocean, could potentially worsen the already precarious water supply situation of the canal.
氣象預測進一步加劇了旱災的可能情況。以造成太平洋上旱災和洪水的聖嬰現象模式，可能會使運河已經不穩定的供水情況惡化。

In response to these challenges, Vásquez emphasized the urgency of finding alternative solutions to maintain the canal's relevance for global trade. He candidly stated that failure to adapt to the evolving circumstances could prove detrimental, even leading to the canal's eventual decline. Vásquez also acknowledged that continued limitations on ship traffic might prompt shipping companies to explore alternative routes, underscoring the need for prompt and effective action.
為應對這些挑戰，Vásquez強調了尋找替代方案以保持運河對全球貿易重要的迫切性。他坦率地表示，未能適應不斷變化的情況可能會對運河產生不利影響，甚至可能導致運河最終衰退。Vásquez還承認，對船舶交通的持續限制可能會促使航運公司探索替代航線，強調必須迅速且有效的採取行動。
Reference article: https://www.businessinsider.com/panama-canal-drought-travel-ships-income-falling-el-nino-2023-8