Important milestones in Panama Canal expansion reached

The Panama Canal Expansion Programme has achieved many important milestones.

Both entrances of the Panama Canal are ready for bigger ships, since the deepening and widening of the Atlantic and Pacific access channels have been completed.

The dredging of Gatun Lake is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

The Pacific Access Channel has reached the design depth and the dam that will divide the new channel from Miraflores Lake is under construction.

Last week saw the first of four new lock gates leave Italy, with arrival in Panama scheduled to be August, signaling a very important milestone for the Third Set of Locks project.

Constructed in Italy by subcontractor Cimolai SpA, the giant new lock gates will be unloaded on the Atlantic side of the Canal and rolled off the ship to a specially-constructed reception dock.

"The Panama Canal Expansion will enhance the value of the Panama route,” Panama Canal Administrator Jorge L. Quijano said. "We are focused on the Third Set of Locks project, which is one of the key projects of the Expansion Program.”

Source: www.bifa.org

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