Severe Amazon Drought Chokes Ship Traffic Threatening Corn Exports

A barge carrying three cars and 2,000 empty cooking gas cylinders ran aground in the Rio Negro River last month. The barge is still stuck there, exposing the plight of river transit in the severely drought-stricken Amazon region.

According to Reuters, the El Nino phenomenon is putting pressure on the Amazon region, as seen by the northern Amazon receiving less rainfall than usual and river levels approaching record lows.

The drought and decreasing water levels are making it harder to transport commodities in the region, leading to problems for the Brazilian government, local people, and businesses that help move goods, such as shipping firms.

Regretfully, there are other regions that are beginning to dry up besides the Amazon. The vital worldwide waterway, the Panama Canal, is experiencing severe operational issues due to the El Nino phenomenon.

Those who depend on Mississippi to transport commodities around the country are concerned about the state’s water levels declining.

References: Reuters

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Source: Maritime Shipping News