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1. Completed: 2016

2. Cost: 5.4 billion USD

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1. The first time the canal was being used was on August 15th, 1914.

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Watch these videos to learn more!

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2. Richard Halliburton swam the Panama Canal in 1928 paying the lowest fee: $0.36 due to his weight of 68 kg.

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In 1903, Americans signed a treaty that gave them permission to the land.

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They destroyed a river to create an artificial lake and dug a connection to the Pacific, and another to the Atlantic.

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1. Construction of two new sets of Locks

2. Deepening and Widening of the existing channels

3. Excavation of a new navigational access channel connecting new Pacific side locks and the Culebra cut

4. Construction of water-saving basins on the Atlantic and Pacific side

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For bigger ships (up to 15,000 TEU) to pass. Before, only ships smaller than 5,000 TEU could pass. They also did it because of the competition with the Suez Canal and also trains.

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A 20-foot-long (6.1 m) ISO container equals 1 TEU.

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Evolution of Container Ships that pass through the Canal

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Evolution of Container Ships that pass through the Canal

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Old Locks Measurements: 32m width, 320m length.

New Locks Measurements: 55m width, 427m length, 18.3m Depth.

Atlantic Side added Agua Clara locks; Pacific side added Cocoli locks

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The Gatún lake is 26 m above sea level and ships that weigh 500 million kg need to go up and down the 26 m.

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Each lock chamber has 3 water-saving basins. Saves 7% more water than the old lock system. These basins will save 60% of the water used.

Each water basin is around 70m in width and 5.5m in depth.

To let ships pass the lock, each chamber is filled with over 1 million liters of water. This water comes from the water basins, and it is re-used.

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3. The Panama Canal’s annual revenue is approximately 2 billion USD.

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4. The Americans were initially interested in constructing a canal in Nicaragua because the French were digging in Panama.

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5. A Hong-Kong based company made a deal with Nicaragua in 2013 to build a canal, which may be a competition to the Panama Canal.

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Failed attempt to construct the canal by the French.

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Failed attempt to construct the canal by the French.

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According to Article 19 of the Organic Law, the Panama Canal Authority in December 1999 established the Advisory Board to serve as a consultative body to provide guidance to the Board of Directors and the administration.

The current chairman of the Advisory Board is William J. Flanagan, a four-star United States Navy admiral who served as Commander in Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet as well as of NATO.

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The Advisory Board is made of both Panamanian and non-Panamanian citizens due to the international service provided by the Panama Canal, all of the members are prominent and distinguished advisers that represent a section of the world's transportation, trade, business, construction and etc.

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The Panama Canal Authority Board of Directors consists of 11 members, and the current chairman is Roberto Roy.

One Director was appointed by the president is chairman of the board and have the rank of Minister of State for Canal Affairs; One Director designated by the Legislative Branch may be freely appointed or removed; Nine Directors were appointed by the president, approved by the Cabinet Council and ratified by a majority of the Legislative Assembly.

The function of the Board of Directors is to create policies, improve the operation as well as establish modernization of the Canal, and supervise the management.

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Fun Facts About The Journey From Ocean To Ocean

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Fun Facts About The Journey From Ocean To Ocean

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1. Time to go through: 8-10 hours
2. Length of the journey: 51miles (82 km)
3. Differences from the old to the new canal: Ships do not use locomotives to assist them inside the chambers. They move alone or with assistance from tugboats.

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Below is an explanation of the journey from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Look at the bottom to learn about the journey from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean.

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1. As the ship approaches the canal waters, the Captain contacts the Cristóbal Signal Station which provides the captain with information.

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2. Inspectors check if the ship meets the necessary requirements to pass through.

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3. The vessel passes the Atlantic breakwater and enters Atlantic Entrance Channel.

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4. Here enters the first assisting tugboat.
5. Then, another tugboat is connected to the ship (one on each end) which assist the ship through the first set of locks.
6. Later, the ship gets 2 more tugboats that will align the ship.

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7. The Ship arrives to the Agua Clara locks. Ship is secured and the gates behind it are closed. Here the filling of water of the chamber begins.

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8. Once the chamber with the vessel is filled, the lock gates in front of the vessel open and allow it to go to the next chamber. Here, the process of filling the chamber is repeated. And again, in the next chamber.

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9. The vessel leaves the Agua Clara Locks, all tugboats are released.

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(Atlantic Side)

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The World's Shortcut: How the Panama Canal Works

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Overview of the new Panama Canal expansion

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10. Ship travels through Gatún Lake and later through the Culebra Cut with help of a tugboat.

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11. At Gold Hill, the vessel receives tugboat 2, 3, and 4 before entering Cocoli Locks.
12. Tugboats 3&4 help align the vessel and leave with tugboat 2.

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13. The vessel is secured, gates close, the chamber begins to empty with water.
14. Once the same water level with the lock ahead is reached, the lock gate in front opens and the ship goes to the middle lock. Here, the process of emptying the chamber repeats.

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(Pacific Side)

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15. When the vessel exits Cocoli Locks, all tugboats are released.
16. The ship is free to continue its journey in the sea.

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Old railway for locomotives to assist the ships

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Old railway for locomotives to assist the ships

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(Not used anymore)

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(Currently used)

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(Atlantic Side)

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(Pacific Side)

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Someone's Actual Journey through the Canal!

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Someone's Actual Journey through the Canal!

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Panama Canal Vlog + Timelapse | 16 Hours in 10 Minutes | Life at Sea on a Mega Container Ship

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It has been calculated that in the first ten years with the new locks, 160 million tons of CO2 emitted by the global maritime sector will be reduced!

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1. Sherrington, Josh, director. The World's Shortcut: How the Panama Canal Works. Overview of New Locks and of the Canal, Wendover Productions, 2 July 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgsxapE27NU&ab_channel=WendoverProductions. Accessed 17 January 2020.

2. “Overview of the New Panama Canal Expansion.” The journey from Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, BeyondCruise, 14 June 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-Zj3bGTm1o&ab_channel=BeyondCruise. Accessed 17 January 2020.

3. “Panama Canal Authority.” Panama Canal, Canal De Panama, www.pancanal.com/eng/. Accessed 17 January 2020.

4. ACP. “Board of Directors.” About ACP - PanCanal.com, Autoridad Del Canal De Panamá, 15 June 2020, www.pancanal.com/eng/acp/jta-dir/index.html. Accessed 17 January 2020.

5. ACP. “Panama Canal Authority.” About ACP - PanCanal.com, Autoridad Del Canal De Panamá, 15 December 2020, www.pancanal.com/eng/acp/advisory-board.html. Accessed 17 January 2020.

6. Pattara, Laura. “Panama Canal: 10 Super Cool Facts You Didn't Know.” Chimu Adventures Blog, Chimu, 10 Feb. 2020, www.chimuadventures.com/blog/2016/02/panama-canal-10-facts-you-didnt-know/.

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Fun Fact! Journey from Pacific To Atlantic Ocean

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Fun Fact! Journey from Pacific To Atlantic Ocean

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The only difference between the journeys is that going from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the ships have to go up the Agua Clara locks, travel through Gatún Lake, and then come down the Cocoli locks again. And going from the Pacific to the Atlantic, ships have to go up the Cocoli Locks, travel through the Gatún Lake, and come down the Agua Clara Locks.