To accommodate larger vessels and increased maritime traffic, Panama has been building a new pair of locks on both sides of the canal. The $5.25 billion expansion project will double the canal’s capacity and open in early 2016.
While the gates are all in place on the Caribbean side, there was still one left to position on the Pacific side. “These gates look like huge books standing on their ends,” Steinmetz says. “They are put on these unusual self-propelled dollies that look like the back of a 18-wheeler truck. Instead, it has 80 wheels on it.”
Panama is putting the finishing touches on a very elaborate undertaking. “They’ve been working on this for years, and now they are getting ready to activate the canal, so they have to get all this machinery out,” says Steinmetz. “It’s a huge logistical ballet. It’s very impressive.”
George Steinmetz: Panama Canal – View of the Panama Canal Expansion project on Pacific side. April 23, 2015.George Steinmetz: Panama Canal – The final lock gate waits to be installed on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal Expansion project. April 23, 2015.George Steinmetz: Panama Canal – Overview showing part of a lock on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal Expansion project , April 22, 2015.George Steinmetz: Panama Canal – Workers make final refinements to the concrete and steel slot that will hold the last gate on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal Expansion project . April 23, 2015.George Steinmetz: Panama Canal – The Pacific side of the Panama Canal Expansion project showing the final lock gate on left, waiting to be installed. April 25, 2015.George Steinmetz: Panama Canal – Container cargo yard on the Panama City side of the canal, where containers are transported by rail across the Isthmus of Panama. April, 22, 2015.George Steinmetz: Panama Canal – Panama CIty, April 23, 2015.
