Panama Canal Authority reports record LNG traffic amid Iran war

Exam-focused facts from the 26 March 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

Panama Canal Authority (PCA) administrator Ricaurte Vasquez stated the canal is operating at top capacity with 36-38 vessels transiting daily.
The waterway will offer one LNG tanker slot per day, up from four per month, due to increased U.S. LNG demand triggered by the Iran war.
The Strait of Hormuz, vital for Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain energy exports, has been closed, prompting shippers to seek the Panama route.
A March-September maintenance programme will not affect traffic, and seasonal low container-ship demand from Asia frees additional slots for energy tankers.