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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Joanna Partridge

Panama canal fees soar due to Iran war and El Niño as ship ‘pays $4m to jump queue’

Container ship entering the Panama canal
The Panama Canal Authority runs daily auctions that allow ship owners to place bids to skip the queue. Photograph: Martin Bernetti/AFP/Getty Images

Commercial ships travelling through the Panama canal are facing a rise in costs amid disruption triggered by the Iran war and falling water levels linked to this year’s intense El Niño weather system.

Highlighting the fragility of global trade, a container ship reportedly paid about $4m (£3m) to jump a queue of vessels waiting to pass through the vital maritime choke point.

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