Panama Canal Expansion Inauguration
Sunday, June 26, 2016

The La Prensa reports: The Foreign Ministry confirmed Tuesday that 62 June 21 delegations from countries and nearly a dozen international organizations have confirmed their participation in the opening ceremony of the expanded Canal will be this June 26 .


Panama Canal Authority (ACP) Press Release:
Panama Canal Conducts Trial Transit Through the Expanded Cocoli Locks
Date: 20-JUN-2016

ACP-owned crane ship Oceanus successfully transits the new Pacific-facing Cocoli Locks on MondayPanama City, Panama, June 20, 2016 - Today, the Panama Canal conducted another successful trial transit in the Expanded Canal. The transiting vessel, a U.S.-built crane ship named the Oceanus, was maneuvered through the Pacific-facing Cocoli Locks by Panama Canal Pilots Fernando Jaén and Ricardo Varela.

The Inauguration of the Expanded Panama Canal will take place on Sunday, June 26 with the first commercial transit of the COSCO Shipping Panama.

Once inaugurated the Expanded Canal will double the waterway's cargo capacity, enhancing the Canal's efficiency, reliability and customer service. The new waterway will provide greater economies of scale to global commerce as Neopanamax ships will be able to transit. In line with its focus on customer service since the handover to Panama nearly 20 years ago, the Panama Canal continues to provide the world, global commerce and individual segments with new products and services.

About the Panama Canal Authority
The Panama Canal is run by an autonomous agency of the Government of Panama in charge of managing, operating and maintaining the Panama Canal. The operation of the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is based on its organic law and the regulations approved by its Board of Directors. For more information, please refer to the ACP's website: http://www.pancanal.com or follow us on Twitter @thepanamacanal.


the new Panama Canal Locks


Here a picture showing how the new Panama Canal Locks will look like here at the Atlantic side of the Canal besides the old Gatun Locks. This and other images can be seen at the new visitor center near the Gatun Locks.

 

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