PANAMA CANAL TOLLS REFLECT ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN
The Panama Canal Authority said collected tolls are down 1.5 percent through the first eight months of its fiscal year, reflecting the global economic slowdown.
The canal has generated $396 million in toll revenues, down $6.1 million from the same period last year, and $12.6 million below the projected budget. Oceangoing transits totaled 8,094, down 993 transits or 10.9 percent. Panamax vessel transits totaled 3,004, 37.1 percent of all oceangoing transits.
While containerized cargo tonnage through the canal rose 6.2 percent, total cargo tonnage was off 4.9 percent, to 125.7 million long tons for the first eight months of the canal's fiscal year.