Panama Canal Achieves Expansion Milestone

by Mike Godfrey, Tax-News.com, Washington

28 June 2012

The Panama Canal Authority has announced that it has achieved a major milestone in the establishment of a new set of locks, to facilitate the creation of a new lane of traffic along the Panama Canal, for longer, wider ships, and to double the facility's tonnage capacity.

The Authority's announcement notes the creation of the first monolith, measuring in at 33.84 meters high, 7.5 meters wide and 27 meters deep. Located on the east side of the new lock's upper chamber, the structure, which will act as one of 46 support beams, required 232 tons of reinforced steel and 2,605 cubic meters of concrete for completion.

In addition, the Canal has also begun integrating the main culvert, to channel water for the operation of the lock. This measures in at some 8.3 meters wide and 6.5 meters high - large enough to enable the simultaneous passage of two railroads. The lock walls will also contain auxillary culverts, measuring 6.5 meters wide and 6.5 meters high.

"he Authority's Chief Executive Officer, Aleman Zubieta, said: "As we reach another milestone, we at the Panama Canal are proud to acknowledge that this new third lane will be a game changer in world maritime commerce."

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