The biggest threat to the commercial shipping sector from the warming seas will be the increased frequency and intensity of weather hazards driven by ocean warming. These include more intense hurricanes, heavier rainfall and snowstorms as well as shifts in weather patterns so much so that some areas face rainstorms and flooding while others face worsening drought conditions and wildfire risks. There is no need to look further than the drought and water shortages at the Panama Canal which make passage through the canal less reliable and delay vessels.
Article; Navigating the Dry Waters of the Panama Canal https://industrytoday.com/navigating-the-dry-waters-of-the-panama-canal/
The Panama Canal, an essential artery of global trade connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, is currently grappling with a severe drought. Water levels continue to decrease, raising concerns about the potential impact on supply chains and peak season shipping. Rainfall was less than 50% of normal from February to April near the canal and the lakes that feed it, according to ACP (Autoridad del Canal de Panamá). Water levels in the larger of the two lakes that feed the canal, Lake Gatun, are projected to hit historic lows in July.
The Shipping Climate Crunch https://thetyee.ca/News/2023/06/08/Shipping-Climate-Crunch/
“International shipping as a sector is a major source of air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions, and it is one of the only two sectors, the other being international aviation, which is not covered under the Paris climate agreement,” Laskar said. Shipping needs to adopt measures in line with the international goal of keeping global warming below 1.5 C, he said, which means moving away from using fossil-based fuels. “Currently the sector does not have that goal.”
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