Panama to celebrate canal expansion this month

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) announced it will celebrate the inauguration of the expanded waterway throughout June.

The first vessel is due to pass through the expanded canal on June 26, transiting from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

"The expansion of the canal is the most important infrastructure work for the country in the last 100 years," said ACP's chief executive Jorge Quijano. "Transit capacity of our canal will be tripled, along with the development opportunities for our country and our children."

Under construction for nearly nine years, the expansion will enable transit of vessels with up to 13,200 TEUs compared with 5,000 TEUs currently.

The expansion included two new sets of locks – one on the Pacific end and one on the Atlantic, each having three chambers.

According to BNamericas Risk Analysis, the project was originally set to be complete in December 2014, in time to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the canal.

More information about the inauguration can be found here, in Spanish.