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Under the new measures, 34 vessels will be permitted to sail through the canal as of September 4. A further reduction will start on September 15, when the limit will be 32 ships. The travel restrictions are a reversal for the Panama Canal Authority. Officials told the news service Reuters in May that they had no plans to limit crossings this year, citing water conservation measures imposed last year. The canal, which handles about 5 percent of global maritime trade, usually has capacity to accommodate about 40 vessels per day. Since June, it has seen a daily average of 35 transits.