The Panama Canal is a vital passage for moving goods from the Atlantic to Pacific oceans faster, and since its expansion in 2016 to accommodate larger vessels and increasing liquefied natural gas (LNG) traffic, it’s become a crucial route in moving LNG from the United States to Asia in a timely manner.  

LNG traffic has continued increasing since the expansion, reaching a pinnacle this winter. As colder weather set in last fall and more U.S. liquefaction capacity has come online, wait times at the Canal began creeping up in October. 

Longer wait times were more common in the dry season with the Canal’s older locks before it was expanded. By late November, however, some vessels were waiting up to 15 days to transit the waterway, inflating the costs of moving cargoes to...