--- title: How the 2023 Panama Canal drought impacted the supply chain in 2024 description: Looking back at 2023, we saw a mix of exciting wins and unique challenges for apparel brands worldwide. Black Friday brought a nearly historical peak, with supply chain executives, “100% ecstatic with the results.” But beneath the surface of the retail rejoice, we saw a string of difficulties facing the global shipping industry — particularly concerning the Panama Canal. image: https://blog.charmingtrim.com/hubfs/image2.png --- # CHARMING INSIGHTS ##### A blog from Charming dedicated to consumer preferences, retail, and technology ### SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER [Back To blog](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/) ###### 3 min read # [How the 2023 Panama Canal drought impacted the supply chain in 2024](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/how-the-2023-panama-canal-drought-impacted-the-supply-chain-in-2024) Dec 5, 2023 9:31:32 AM [** share ](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.charmingtrim.com/how-the-2023-panama-canal-drought-impacted-the-supply-chain-in-2024&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook) [** share ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.charmingtrim.com/how-the-2023-panama-canal-drought-impacted-the-supply-chain-in-2024&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin) [** Tweet ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https://blog.charmingtrim.com/how-the-2023-panama-canal-drought-impacted-the-supply-chain-in-2024&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&url=https://blog.charmingtrim.com/how-the-2023-panama-canal-drought-impacted-the-supply-chain-in-2024&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&source=tweetbutton&text=) ![image2](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image2.png?width=1640&height=924&name=image2.png) Looking back at 2023, we saw a mix of exciting wins and unique challenges for apparel brands worldwide. Black Friday brought a nearly historical peak, with supply chain executives, [“100% ecstatic with the results](https://sourcingjournal.com/topics/logistics/dhl-supply-chain-holiday-black-friday-cyber-monday-sales-inventory-discounts-warehouse-470703/).” But beneath the surface of the retail rejoice, we saw a string of difficulties facing the global shipping industry — particularly concerning the Panama Canal.  The underlying cause of the canal challenges is a persistent drought linked to El Niño, affecting water levels at Lake Gatun, the vital artificial lake sustaining the canal's lock system. As of Thursday, the lake's depth stood at over 81 feet, nearly five feet below the five-year average. As a result, according to [Sourcing Journal](https://sourcingjournal.com/topics/logistics/dhl-supply-chain-holiday-black-friday-cyber-monday-sales-inventory-discounts-warehouse-470703/), The Panama Canal faced a backlog, with 110 vessels patiently waiting, including 51 pre-booked and 59 non-booked ships seeking passage. The wait times for non-booked vessels surged dramatically in November, 2023, reaching an average of 10 days for northbound ships and 11.2 days for southbound vessels. 2023 turned out to be Panama’s [third driest year on record](https://www.carbonbrief.org/drought-behind-panama-canals-2023-shipping-disruption-unlikely-without-el-nino/), so it’s no surprise that global industries shipping through the area took a hit. In the face of these challenges, many brands braced for potential disruptions, prompting a strategic exploration of alternative routes to ensure the smooth flow of goods worldwide. #### 2024 impacts of the Panama Canal drought At the end of 2023, only [22 ships](https://en.unav.edu/web/global-affairs/el-canal-de-panama-expuesto-a-los-efectos-del-cambio-climatico) were allowed to transit the Panama Canal per day — as opposed to the typical 32. In early 2024, significant rainfall occurred in the area, so the traffic quota was able to rise. But it didn’t snap back up to 32 overnight. Over the course of 2024, the quota rose slightly each month, reaching 32 transits per day in June. While that’s a victory for manufacturers transporting in the area, the revenue consequences for nearly a year of delayed shipments are substantial. [Hundreds of millions of dollars](https://www.vozdeamerica.com/a/canal-de-panama-preve-mayor-reduccion-de-ingresos-en-peajes-hasta-por-700-millones-debido-a-sequia/7445523.html) were lost in the last fiscal year due to the crisis. Rich Ringeisen, President of Charming Trim, shed some light on the company’s response to the drought. “To limit the impacts of Panama Canal supply chain delays, we have rebalanced our production locations to better fit with the majority of the world’s production locations,” he shared.  Now, Charming Trim’s [global presence](https://www.charmingtrim.com/#about) spans the following countries: - China - Hong Kong - Bangladesh - Cambodia - Vietnam - India - Sri Lanka - Pakistan - Belgium - The Netherlands - Germany - Italy - Turkey - Spain - France - United Kingdom - Guatemala - Mexico  - The United States If you are shipping apparel trim, digital embellishments, packaging and identification requirements by sea from Asia to the East Coast, or if you'd like to look at production options like Mexico or Guatemala to avoid the Canal altogether, [send us a message](https://www.charmingtrim.com/contact-us). We’re prepared to help. *Editor’s note: This post was originally published in December of 2023 and has been revamped for relevancy.*  ###### Topics: [supply chain](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/topic/supply-chain) ![Rich Ringeisen](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/507386/CLEAN-images/lazy-imgs/lazy-img-200x200.png) #### Written by [Rich Ringeisen](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/author/rich-ringeisen) ###### [** Previous Post](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/charming-trim-supports-addition-of-pfas-to-restricted-substances-list) [![PFAS](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/507386/CLEAN-images/gfx/feat-img-temp.jpg)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/charming-trim-supports-addition-of-pfas-to-restricted-substances-list) ###### [Charming Trim supports addition of PFAS to Restricted Substances List](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/charming-trim-supports-addition-of-pfas-to-restricted-substances-list) ###### [Next Post **](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/charming-proudly-sponsors-aafa-2024-product-safety-and-compliance-seminar) [![](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/507386/CLEAN-images/gfx/feat-img-temp.jpg)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/charming-proudly-sponsors-aafa-2024-product-safety-and-compliance-seminar) ###### [Charming Proudly Sponsors AAFA 2024 Product Safety and Compliance Seminar](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/charming-proudly-sponsors-aafa-2024-product-safety-and-compliance-seminar) ### Featured ### Posts by Tag - [sustainability (24)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/sustainability) - [DPP (20)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/dpp) - [RFID (14)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/rfid) - [digital product passport (DPP) (13)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/digital-product-passport-dpp) - [Charming.Digi (12)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/charming-digi) - [supply chain (7)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/supply-chain) - [Events (6)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/events) - [Labels (6)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/labels) - [Laws (6)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/laws) - [consumer insights (5)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/consumer-insights) - [circularity (4)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/circularity) - [Apparel (3)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/apparel) - [Certification (3)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/certification) - [PFAS (2)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/pfas) - [Tariffs (2)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/tariffs) - [brand (2)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/brand) - [digital labeling (2)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/digital-labeling) - [nfc (2)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/nfc) - [Cost Cutting (1)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/cost-cutting) - [Global Sourcing (1)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/global-sourcing) - [In Plant Printing (1)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/in-plant-printing) - [Nearshoring (1)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/nearshoring) - [QR (1)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/qr) - [Regulations (1)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/regulations) - [Smart Packaging (1)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/smart-packaging) - [Traceability (1)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/traceability) - [heat transfers (1)](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/tag/heat-transfers) [See all](https://blog.charmingtrim.com/how-the-2023-panama-canal-drought-impacted-the-supply-chain-in-2024#) ### Sign up for updates       [![](https://phosphor.utils.elfsightcdn.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.licdn.com%2Fdms%2Fimage%2FC560BAQEd_tlSQ08hRw%2Fcompany-logo_400_400%2F0%2F1630582539667%2Flowatag_logo%3Fe%3D1718236800%26v%3Dbeta%26t%3DZeKKPX2ZDL-3Ux9DxbsvPBBBtRRimqt-_glUlzjiTHY) ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/charmingtrims/) [/CHARMING ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/charmingtrims/) 5 days ago Big news alert! CIRPASS - Digital Product Passport has just announced this week that the implementation of the DPP for apparel and retail is officially set for 2027. 👇Take a look at the roadmap document below, feel free to download and share it with your connections in the apparel and retail industry. There's important work ahead of us! [#dpp](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/dpp/) [#traceability](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/traceability/) [#circularity](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/circularity/) ‍‍‍‍ Read more ![Big news alert! CIRPASS - Digital Product Passport has just announced this week that the implemen...](https://phosphor.utils.elfsightcdn.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.licdn.com%2Fdms%2Fimage%2FD4E1FAQFPMsqPHqqdPQ%2Ffeedshare-document-cover-images_1920%2F0%2F1709886179396%3Fe%3D1710928800%26v%3Dbeta%26t%3DVjwku_vfYE4RNUJqUQ8KQviVxt-lJjcv-Cb8yqIIVNI)   [  17 ](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/charmingtrims_roadmap-dpp-activity-7171784411384922113-GXK1?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop)   Share [![](https://phosphor.utils.elfsightcdn.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.licdn.com%2Fdms%2Fimage%2FC4D0BAQHdBeqQFyaSAA%2Fcompany-logo_400_400%2F0%2F1668530079764%2Fcirpass_dpp_logo%3Fe%3D1718236800%26v%3Dbeta%26t%3DttDuHIpXb7ixWDtZkArJ3QTZBxu4hG6I822Qv-GT8Is) ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/cirpass-dpp/) [CIRPASS - Digital Product Passport ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/cirpass-dpp/) March 1 The CIRPASS - Digital Product Passport final event is just around the corner! Have you registered already? No? 😱 Make sure to save your spot now > [https://lnkd.in/dVwEe2EZ](https://lnkd.in/dVwEe2EZ) 🗓The event will start at 9h30 CET - (5 March 2024) Consult the full event agenda > [https://lnkd.in/d-U3Zqra](https://lnkd.in/d-U3Zqra)  🔗 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲: On the day of the event, you will be able to connect on this link > [https://lnkd.in/gEZs3XiX](https://lnkd.in/gEZs3XiX) ❓❓𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗤&𝗔 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗼 During the event, we will be conducting the Q&A sessions exclusively through Slido. Ask your questions to the experts on this link > [https://lnkd.in/gtgJ5bek](https://lnkd.in/gtgJ5bek) ------- Battery Pass Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, CEA-List, SLR Consulting, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, Chalmers Industriteknik, VDE, DKE, +ImpaKT Luxembourg S.à.r.l, F6S Innovation, GS1 in Europe, Politecnico di Milano, circular.fashion, DIGITALEUROPE, EIT InnoEnergy, Delft University of Technology, TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology, Veltha, Energy Web, Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung , SyncForce, Innovalia Association, Textile Exchange , Responsible Business Alliance, Worldline, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, iPoint Systems, Global Electronics Council, Avery Dennison, Global Battery Alliance, Global Textile Scheme GmbH Read more ![The CIRPASS - Digital Product Passport final event is just around the corner!Have you registered ...](https://phosphor.utils.elfsightcdn.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.licdn.com%2Fdms%2Fimage%2FD5622AQEV3zB6tmtO2w%2Ffeedshare-shrink_2048_1536%2F0%2F1709204357535%3Fe%3D1713398400%26v%3Dbeta%26t%3DhN0m0YNqMucwkHl8h5b911OBhB2H3ywNZaNCcIaNoV0)   [  11 ](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/charmingtrims_the-cirpass-digital-product-passport-final-activity-7170689287410171904-qGbS?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop)   Share