The Panama Canal Expansion is the largest project at the Canal since its original construction. To date, the Expansion Program is 88 percent complete.
The project will create a new lane of traffic along the Canal through the construction of a new set of locks, doubling the waterway’s capacity. The existing locks allow the passage of vessels that can carry up to 5,000 TEUs.
After the expansion the Post-Panamax vessels will be able to transit through the Canal, with up to 13,000 TEUs. The Expansion will double the Canal’s capacity, having a direct impact on economies of scale and international maritime trade.
The project will also help to protect and conserve the water resources of the Panama Canal watershed. A new water-saving basin system will improve water efficiency, utilizing seven percent less water than the existing locks. In addition, 60 percent of the water will be recycled in each transit.