After months of preparation, interested bidders submitted proposals to the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) today for an opportunity to dredge the Expansion Program’s Pacific entrance. This phase of the project will widen the Canal’s 8.9 mile-long (14.2 km) navigation channels at least 715 feet (218 meters) and deepen them to a maximum level of -51 feet (-15.5 meters) Mean Low Water Springs (MLWS) to ensure that longer, wider ships can reach the new locks.
The ACP will review the bids and award the contract to the bidder that offers the best price and meets the project’s terms and criteria established in the Request for Proposal (RFP).
On August 30, 2007, the ACP released its RFP for the Canal’s Pacific entrance dredging and has previously held site visits and an informational session to answer questions regarding the contract.
The ACP expects to award the contract in the coming weeks and work will likely begin during the third quarter of this calendar year.
The ACP Expansion Program will build a new lane along the through the construction of a new set of locks, which will double capacity and allow more traffic and longer, wider ships.