Panama City, Mar 22 (EFE).– The Panama Canal Authority, or ACP, said it would impose new draft restrictions on ships starting April 18 due to a severe drought affecting two artificial lakes that feed the interoceanic waterway.

“The maximum allowable draft will be 11.89 meters (39 feet),” the canal’s administrator said in a statement Monday.

The “temporary and preventative” measure was taken because the Gatun and Alajuela lakes “are below their average levels for this period,” the ACP said.

Ships loaded after March 21 will have to comply with the depth-limit restriction, according to the administrator.

The canal announced a similar measure last August but lifted the restriction after rainfall raised water levels in those two artificial lakes.

A total of 202,000 cubic meters (53 million gallons) of fresh water are required to transport one ship through the multi-tiered lock system of the canal, which currently handles about 6 percent of world trade.

A third set of locks is due to be inaugurated soon and enable the canal to handle up to 600 million tons of cargo annually, double its current capacity. EFE