Name and Location
Panama Canal expansion project, Panama.

Client
The government of Panama, represented by Autoridad del Canal de Panama.

Project Description
The Panama Canal has added a third set of locks, one at each end of the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the canal.

Each lock facility features three chambers, nine water-saving basins, a lateral filling and emptying system and rolling gates.

The Agua Clara Locks complex, on the Atlantic side, is located east of the existing Gatun Locks complex, and the Cocoli Locks complex, on the Pacific side, is located south-west of the existing Miraflores Locks, in Cocoli.

The location of the complexes occupies an extensive section of the excavations performed by the US government for the third set of locks project, which started in 1939.

The new locks are each 427 m long, with a beam of 49 m and a draught of 15.2 m, suitable for ships of up to 366 m in length.

Each existing lock is 304.8 m long, 55 m wide and 18.3 m deep, with a beam of 32.3 m and a draught of 12.4 m, which can accommodate ships of up to 294.1 m in length.

The new navigational channels allow for access between the new locks and the existing channels, as well as the deepening and widening of the existing channels.

Widening the existing channels to 218 m allows for the navigation of post-Panamax vessels through these channels in one direction at a time.

The Gaillard Cut and Gatun Lake navigation channels have been deepened by 1.2 m to a precise level datum (PLD) of 9.2 m, raising the maximum operational level of Gatun Lake by 0.45 m, from its existing 26.7 m PLD to 27.1 m PLD. This project component will increase Gatun Lake’s functional water-reserve capacity.

While the expansion’s locks are 70 ft wider and 18 ft deeper than those in the original canal, they will use less water.

Value
$5.25-billion.

Duration
The project was inaugurated in June.

Latest Developments
The expanded Panama Canal was inaugurated on June 26.

The inaugural transit began with the passage of Neopanamax vessel Cosco Shipping Panama through the Agua

Clara Locks on the Atlantic side of the country and concluded with its transit through the Cocoli Locks on the Pacific side. The ship is en route to Asia.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Japan Bank for International Cooperation, the European Investment Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, Andean Development Corporation and the International Finance Corporation (loan finance); the Grupo Unidos por el Canal joint venture, comprising Jan de Nul, Sacyr Vallehermoso, Impregilo and Constructora Urbana (Cusa) (design and construction of the new third set of locks); Peri (planning and supply of formwork and scaffolding systems); Cusa (excavation of the Pacific access channel Phase 1); Cilsa Panama-Minera Maria consortium (excavation of the Pacific access channel Phase 2); Constructora Meco (excavation of the Pacific access channel Phase 3); a consortium comprising Constructora ICA, Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas and Constructora Meco (excavation of the Pacific access channel Phase 4); Dredging International (dredging of the Pacific entrance navigational channel, the Gatun Lake north access channel and the Atlantic entrance); ACP (dredging for the deepening and widening of Gatun Lake and deepening of Culebra Cut); Jan de Nul (dredging of the new Pacific access channel north approach) and Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries (conduit valves).
 

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
ACP corporate communications, tel +507 272 7602.