Pacific Access Channel News

The five international financial institutions partially financing the Panama Canal Expansion Program traveled to Panama earlier this week to see the 96.6 percent progress made thus far. During their three-day visit to the Canal, representatives were guided through the Agua Clara and Cocoli locks, as well as the fourth phase of the Pacific Access Channel (PAC-4). They also toured the Canal’s training centers: the Center for Simulation, Research and Maritime Development (SIDMAR) and the new Scale Model Maneuvering Training Facility, which will train pilots and other waterway personnel to maneuver through the Expanded Canal. In addition, they visited the construction site of the third Panama Canal bridge, which will connect Colon to communities west of the Canal.

During the testing phase of the new Pacific locks for the Panama Canal, some water seepage was detected in a specific area of the new Pacific Locks in a section that separates the middle chamber and lower chamber, as they were being stressed tested through exposure to level differentials much higher than those required for normal operations, but that may occur during dry-chamber maintenance works in the future. The ACP is now awaiting a formal report from GUPC following detailed inspections. The report, will be inclusive of the root cause analysis conducted, as well as the recommended repair methodology. Upon evaluating the report's findings, the ACP will assess and communicate if the project's completion timeline will be altered in any way.

The filling of the Panama Canal’s new locks began in June, marking the start of a planned and methodical phase of operational testing of the Locks, including its culvert valves, maintenance bulkheads and gates. This stage of testing is meant to timely detect and correct any deficiencies in the project. The Panama Canal technical team is closely involved to ensure that all tests meet the quality standards established in the contract. As part of this testing, some water seepage…

The Panama Canal Expansion Program’s electro-mechanical installation phase has begun with the installation of the first steel rolling gate at the Atlantic side. "This year, the Expansion Program completed several milestones towards the completion of the project," said Panama Canal Administrator Jorge L. Quijano. "I am proud of the progress we have made on this project and the uninterrupted service we have provided to global shipping for 100 years. With the arrival of the last…

In another major milestone for the Panama Canal Expansion Program, the electromechanical installation phase, one of the most important of the project, has begun with the installation of the first steel rolling gate at the Atlantic side. “This year, the Expansion Program completed several milestones towards the completion of the project,” said Panama Canal Administrator Jorge L. Quijano. “I am proud of the progress we have made on this project and the uninterrupted service we have provided to global shipping for 100 years. With the arrival of the last four of the 16 rolling gates for the new locks in November and the transfer of the eight gates for the Pacific-side locks through the waterway, all electro-mechanical components are ready to be installed.

The works for the grout curtain to protect the foundation of Borinquen 1E Dam concluded today. The grout curtain is 2.4 kilometers long and 15 meters deep under the core of the foundation of Borniquen 1E Dam, located on the west side of Pedro Miguel Locks. “This is another important component of the Expansion Program that is successfully moving forward,” said Panama Canal Administrator Jorge L. Quijano. The grout curtain will prevent ground-water seepage and erosion of materials through the foundation of Borinquen 1E Dam, by filling with cement the rock fractures, void spaces and discontinuities located below the dam's foundation. The works are part of the Pacific Access Channel 4 (PAC-4) project, which is one of the components of the Expansion Program.

The Panama Canal Expansion is moving forward to achieve its goal of enhancing the waterway's capacity. To date, the Program registers a 60.4% progress. "The Panama Canal Expansion will enhance the value of the Panama route," Panama Canal Administrator Jorge L. Quijano said. The Expansion Program has achieved many important milestones. Both entrances of the Panama Canal are ready for bigger ships, since the deepening and widening of the Atlantic and Pacific access channels have been completed. The dredging of Gatun Lake is expected to be completed by the end of this year. The Pacific Access Channel has reached the design depth and the dam that will divide the new channel from Miraflores Lake is under construction. The Third Set of Locks project registers a 50% progress.

Panama Canal Completes Major Step in Expansion Program. In another important milestone of its Expansion Program, the Panama Canal Authority announced the completion of phase three of the dry excavation project in the construction of the Pacific Access Channel (PAC). The Pacific Access Channel will connect the third set of locks with the Culebra Cut and Gatun Lake. The third phase of the PAC – costing $36.6 million including design, contractors and management – consisted of excavating 8.2 million cubic meters of materials…

Nordic American Tanker Shipping Ltd. (NAT) announced that the dividend for 2Q10 was $0.60 per share which is the same as for 1Q10. At a time when several shipping companies produce negative results, the Board of Directors is pleased to announce that NAT turned in a solid net income in 2Q10. NAT expect that the company’s fleet will reach a minimum of 20 vessels by the end of 2011. NAT has no plans to tap the equity markets to fund this expansion, since the company currently has ample financial resources to reach a fleet of 24 vessels. The company will pay the dividend on or about September 2, 2010, to shareholders of record as of August 20, 2010.

Panama Canal Authority (ACP) Administrator/CEO Alberto Alemán Zubieta addressed hundreds of participants at this year’s International Navigation Organization’s (PIANC) 32nd Congress May 11 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. During his keynote address, Zubieta spoke about the Panama Canal Expansion Program and briefed the audience on the project. To date, 100 percent of the excavation work has been completed for the first two phases of the Pacific access channel and close to 30 percent of work completed on the deepening and widening of Gatun Lake and the Gaillard Cut (the narrowest stretch in the Panama Canal). “Forums such as PIANC’s Congress are a great opportunity to connect with industry insiders and the maritime public at large.

In the first two months of execution, the second dry excavation contract for the Pacific Access Channel (PAC 2) removed 263,246 cubic meters of material. The Mexican-Panamanian consortium Cilsa Panama-Minera Maria started the excavation work March 21 and by April 30, registered 3.2 percent progress.

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) released its request for proposal (RFP) Tuesday, September 18, for the second dry excavation project under expansion. This contract is for the second of five excavation projects to create the new Pacific locks access channel. This channel will link the new Pacific locks with the existing Gaillard Cut (the narrowest stretch in the Panama Canal). The excavation involves the removal of 7.5 million cubic meters in a stretch of approximately 2.4 kilometers, which will serve as the entrance of the new Pacific access channel. "Three weeks ago, the world watched as we broke ground on expansion with the beginning of the first dry excavation.