My Move To Panama
Ask About Our
​White Glove Service
US: (214) 431-5235
​Panama: +(507) 6270-4333
  • Home
  • Buy
    • Condos for Sale in Casa Bonita, Playa Bonita Resort >
      • Playa Bonita Resort
      • 23N Casa Bonita Penthouse for Sale
      • 23M Casa Bonita Penthouse for Sale
      • 21P Casa Bonita Penthouse for Sale
      • 20-o Casa Bonita Penthouse for sale
      • 19L 2 Bedroom Condo at Casa Bonita High Floor
      • 18G 2 Bedroom at Casa Bonita
      • 18A Stunning view of the ocean at High Floor
      • 16L Large Condo with Sweeping Ocean Views
      • 9i Casa Bonita 1 Bedroom
      • 10i Casa Bonita for Sale
      • 7e Casa Bonita 1 Bedroom for Sale
      • 6F Casa Bonita Large 2 bedroom
      • Casa Bonita New Apartments
    • Condos for Sale in Panama City >
      • La Maison Fendi Casa Panama
      • Matisse Costa del Este Panama
      • Armani Nuovo Luxury Apartment >
        • Nuovo Armani Casa
      • Hyde by Wanders and Yoo
      • Vista Marina
      • Winston Churchill 3 Bedroom Paitilla
      • Seawaves apartment at the heart of Panama City
      • Amador 2 bedroom
      • Vista del Mar 1 bedroom
    • Condos for Sale in Coronado >
      • Royal Palm, Gorgona, Panama
      • Coronado Golf Tower >
        • Coronado Golf 14th floor
        • Coronado Golf Tower 1-Bedroom
      • Casamar Beach Community >
        • Perlamar at Casamar - 1 and 2-bedroom condos
        • Altamar at Casamar - 3 bedroom condos
      • Bahia Resort, Nueva Gorgona, Panama >
        • Bahia Resort 1 Bedroom
    • Priced-to-Sell Beach Properties >
      • Las Islas, Punta Barco-Panama
    • Houses for Sale >
      • Penthouse in Amador (30% discount)
      • Villamar at Casamar
      • Villamar 14
      • Marinazul at Casamar >
        • Marinazul Masterplan
        • Marinazul #4
      • Vista Mar Villa
      • Costa del Este House
      • Oceanfront Home in Majagual, Panama
      • Oceanfront Home in Malibu Beach, Panama
      • Coronado Farm $1.2 MM
    • Land for Sale >
      • Boquete House Plus 10 Hectares
      • Absolute Beachfront Lots Pedasi
      • Farm Land for Sale
  • Rent
    • Rental Book
    • Penthouses at Casa Bonita >
      • FAQs About Renting at Casa Bonita
      • 10KL 3 Bedroom Condo at Casa Bonita High Floor
      • Casa Bonita 21P Penthouse
      • Casa Bonita 22M Penthouse
      • 23N Casa Bonita Penthouse for Sale
      • Casa Bonita 23o Penthouse
      • Casa Bonita 24N Penthouse
      • Casa Bonita 24o Penthouse
      • Casa Bonita 24P Penthouse
    • Two Bedrooms at Casa Bonita >
      • Casa Bonita 6F
      • Casa Bonita 7D
      • Casa Bonita 7F
      • Casa Bonita 7i
      • Casa Bonita 8A
      • Casa Bonita 8B
      • Casa Bonita 10i
      • Casa Bonita 14J
      • Casa Bonita 15B
      • Casa Bonita 17J
      • Casa Bonita 18A
      • Casa Bonita 18F
      • Casa Bonita 18G
      • Casa Bonita 18e
      • Casa Bonita 19D
      • Casa Bonita 19K 2 bedroom apartment
      • Casa Bonita 19L
    • 1 Bedrooms at Casa Bonita >
      • Playa Bonita Resort
      • Casa Bonita 6e 1 bedroom
      • Casa Bonita 7e 1 bedroom
      • Casa Bonita 8K
      • Casa Bonita 9b 1 bedroom
      • Casa Bonita 9e 1 bed
      • Casa Bonita 12H
      • Casa Bonita 13B 1 Bedroom
      • Casa Bonita 14B 1 Bed
    • Renting in Panama City >
      • Nuovo by Armani Casa Luxury Apartment
      • Winston Churchill 3 Bedroom Paitilla
      • Parque Urraca 2 Bedroom Rental Apartment
      • Solaris 3 Bedroom Rental Apartment
      • Vista del Mar 1 bedroom
      • Villa del Mar 2 bedroom apartment
      • Rental Book City Apartments
    • Renting in Coronado >
      • Coronado Golf 1-Bedroom Golf Course View
      • Coronado Golf 2-Bedroom
      • FAQs About Renting at Coronado Golf
      • About Coronado Golf Tower
    • Rental Terms & Conditions
    • Fun Facts About Panama
    • Resources for Renters >
      • Terms and Conditions
  • Visit
    • Why Panama?
    • Things to Do in Panama >
      • Monkey Island Panama
      • Fish Market Panama
      • Best Restaurants in Panama City, Panama
    • Areas to Visit >
      • Amador Causeway
    • Foodie Tour
    • Gift Videos
    • French People Moving to Panama >
      • Porquoi les Français s'installent-ils au Panama
  • Concierge
    • Premium Services >
      • In Home Chef
    • Property Management
    • Moving to Panama >
      • How to Buy Property in Panama
      • Getting Money into Panama
      • Opening a Bank Account in Panama
      • Getting a Bank Mortgage in Panama
      • Bringing Pets to Panama
      • Checklist for Bringing Your Dogs & Cats to Panama from the US
      • Schools in Panama City Panama
    • Testimonials
    • What Do Renovations Cost in Panama?
    • Condo Remodeling >
      • Remodeling - Panama Penthouse
      • Renovations in Panama-Double Apt
      • Redecorating in Panama 1 Bedroom City
      • Redecorating in Panama Amador Causeway
  • Books
    • The Panama Affair
    • FREE Book >
      • Book Download
    • The Expat Files Panama >
      • Meet the Characters of The Expat Files >
        • Jessica James
        • Savannah Grant
        • Jack Sharrone
        • Benicio Braga
  • Contact
    • About Us
    • Client Registration
  • Blog

The Panama Canal Expansion

10/25/2013

0 Comments

 
PictureOne Set of Locks in the Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is what helped shape Panama into what it is today, and has been called the eighth wonder of the world. In National Geographic’s 100 Journeys of a Lifetime, the Panama Canal was listed as must-see Journey Number 5. Having been to the Panama Canal dozens of times, I am awestruck at how something so spectacular was created a hundred years ago.

The Panama Canal is a lock system that lifts a ship up 85 feet to the main level of the Panama Canal through a series of three “locks” or watertight chambers. After traveling through Lake Gatun, a second series of three locks drop the ship back down to sea level on the other side.

In 1914, the Panama Canal changed the course of history. Since then, it has been so influential in the shipping industry that the term “Panamax” was coined to signify that the ship was the maximum size to fit through the Panama Canal. For decades shipbuilders stayed within the Panamax size specifications and wouldn’t build anything larger.

The $5.2 billion expansion project of the Panama Canal is creating a new lane which connects the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. The new locks will be thirty percent larger than the current locks in order to allow ships larger than Panamax to travel through the Panama Canal. To give you an idea of the size, you can fit three Empire State Buildings end-to-end within its chambers.

To give you an idea of the scope of this 7-year project (for people like me who don’t understand what it takes to create a new bike, let alone an entire new shipping channel), here are some of the pieces of the Panama Canal puzzle.

  • Fifty million cubic meters of land had to be extracted using explosives and moved via truck in order to make the new canal lane possible.
  • Lake Gatun had to be raised. (Every try to raise an entire lake!?!)
  • The two existing lanes are being dredged in order to deepen and widen them, which will allow ships larger than Panamax to travel through the Panama Canal. 

When complete in 2015, the expansion will double the ship capacity and allow larger ships to pass through. 

No trip to Panama is complete without a trip to the Panama Canal. When you come to Panama, make sure you plan your trip to the Panama Canal on a late afternoon during the week when it's not raining. This will help you get maximum enjoyment without the hassle of weekend crowds.


0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Melissa Darnay is a marketer, a serial entrepreneur, and a relocation concierge in Panama. Learn more... 

    Archives

    July 2021
    July 2020
    May 2019
    April 2019
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    August 2017
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Copyright 2015-2022 Choose Panama Inc. All Rights Reserved.