Even restricting the number of Panama Canal Neo-Panamax transits to just five, there should still be enough capacity for container ships; however, it will be a different story for other types of vessels, such as gas carriers.
Joining two vessels at sea in a ship-to-ship (STS) operation need not be high risk, if established guidelines and procedures are followed and the correct equipment is used for the location and conditions.
Shipping traffic through the Suez Canal fell 20% between Dec. 24 and Jan. 2 compared with a year earlier, according to the PortWatch platform, after shipping lines began diverting vessels in response to attacks by Yemen’s Houthis.