Dear Valued Customers,

Since waiting periods in the Panama Canal have become completely unpredictable, and the problem is worsening, we henceforth do not predict any of our vessels to pass the Panama Canal any time soon.

According to the information announced by The Panama Canal Authority, October 2023 has been the driest since records began 73 years ago. Consequently, the number of booking slots has been reduced to 22 from December 2023, and it shall be further reduced to 18 slots daily from February 2024 onwards. Moreover, non-booked vessels are going to be rejected.

Due to the existing procedures, the ship’s voyages will be redirected to either the Cape of Good Hope or the Suez Canal, and travel times to be increased appropriately.

Furthermore, we are requesting the Panama Canal Authority to issue more formal declarations in light of this unprecedented development.

We will keep you informed as more information regarding this subject becomes available.

Best regards,

Chinese-Polish Joint Stock Shipping Company