The Panama Canal will begin collecting a freshwater surcharge from ships using the waterway as part of their efforts to address the scarcity of rainfall after 2019 was recorded as the fifth driest year of the last seven decades. The goal is to protect the supply of fresh water for shipping activity and human consumption. The new fee will take effect February 15 and has no expiration date. It applies to all vessels more than 125 feet in length and consists of a fixed charge of $10,000 per passage plus a charge that will depend on water levels at Lake Gatun at the time of the crossing.
