A cargo ship leaves the Panama Canal on the Pacific Ocean side in Panama City on October 7, 2024. The number of ships sailing through the Panama Canal fell by 29% last year, compared to the previous year, due to the drought, the canal authority reported Tuesday. According to data provided by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) to AFP, during the 2024 fiscal year, 9,936 vessels passed through the waterway. (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP) (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images)