October 06, 2015
Countdown begins for new Panama Canal opening. 95% of works completed
After the structural stress tests, navigation testing at the start of 2016
The Third Set of Locks, the most important engineering project of the last ten years, which will expand the Panama Canal, has entered its countdown phase: 95% of the works have, in fact, been completed, and the testing process for the structures and for the installed systems are bringing optimal results, in all sectors.
This communication was given by Grupo Unidos por el Canal (GUPC), which includes Sacyr (Spain), Salini Impregilo (Italy), Jan de Nul (Belgium) and Cusa (Panama). The project is expected to be completed in April 2016, after seven years of hard work and more than 100 million working hours.
The 16 main sliding gates, on the Pacific and Atlantic sides, weighing an average of 3,300 tons, are responding positively to all electromechanical tests. Alignment, synchronization and hydraulic seal systems have all also stood the most severe tests. The concrete supporting structures have also hit the mark. These verifications allowed to identify some filtration in one of the concrete lockheads on the Pacific side, for which the repair solutions have been identified, including strengthening done with a special type of steel. The amount of strengthening steel needed will be only 0,1 % of what has already been used for the locks.
The tests, which will continue for at least three months, before the navigation testing starts, represent an essential part for optimising the project, which has no rivals in technical and design terms. These tests,required by contract, are more severe than any other possible condition that will be faced during the normal operation and maintenance of the canal, and are demanding the full cooperation between Designers, Contractor and Employer to reach the goal to deliver the Third Set of Locks to the Panamanian people at the best conditions.
The Third Set of Locks project satisfies the redundant design requested by the Authority, Every project function and essential element has been doubled, including the number of sluice gates, which are 16 instead of eight, the number normally necessary to carry out the opening-closing manoeuvre. This way, the canal will be able to function on a 24/7 basis, the whole year round, avoiding those interruptions normally necessary for maintenance or monitoring purposes.
The expansion of the Panama Canal, with this new interoceanic way , in addition to the already existing one, launched in 1914, will allow the passage of larger ships known as "PostPanamax", measuring nearly 400 metres in length and with a capacity of 13,600 TEUs against the previous 4,400 TEUs(*).
(*) Twenty-foot equivalent units, equalling a 20 foot container