Maersk said vessels that utilised the Panama Canal before will now omit passing the trade route amid the ongoing water situation in the canal.

To ensure that cargo continues to move with as few delays as possible, Maersk announced amendments to its OC1 service, operating between Oceania and the Americas. 

"The vessels that utilised the Panama Canal before will now omit the Panama Canal and use a 'land bridge' that utilises rail to transport cargo across the 80 km of Panama to the other side," the shipping line said in a customer advisory on January 10.

Maersk noted that this creates two separate loops, one Atlantic and one Pacific.

Pacific vessels will turn at Balboa, Panama, dropping off cargo heading for Latin America and North America and picking up cargo heading for Australia and New Zealand.

Meanwhile, Atlantic vessels will turn at Manzanillo, Panama, dropping off cargo heading for Australia and New Zealand and picking up cargo heading for Latin and North America. 

Maersk noted that it had made the changes to services to ensure that its customers are "impacted as minimally as possible" based on current and projected water levels in Gatun Lake and the Panama Canal Authority's (ACP) reductions to the amount and weight of vessels that can pass through the canal.

On northbound vessels, Maersk said there are no delays to cargo stopping in Philadelphia and Charleston. 

On southbound vessels, customers may experience some delays.

On its OC1 route, the Danish shipping and logistics company said to ensure cargo moves on this route, it will be omitting Cartagena and customers will be served through alternate vessels.

Maersk said it will continue to operate the PANZ service from the US West Coast to Oceania to provide coverage from both coasts.