Expansion work begins on Panama Canal

New lock chambers that will enable post-Panamax vessels to use the Panama Canal are being fitted from February 2013. Geodis Wilson has been awarded a US$50-million contract by steel manufacturer Cimolai to manage the transport of 16 lock gates for the expansion of the Panama Canal, according to Pierre Blayau, chairman and chief executive officer of the Geodis Group. The first four of the more than 4 000-ton gates will be despatched from Italy in February 2013, and will be followed by a further three shipments throughout the year. The project is scheduled for completion in December 2013. The new gates are part of the large-scale expansion plan by the Panama Canal Authority that is designed to double the capacity of the Panama Canal by 2014. The new lock chambers will enable post-Panamax containerships to transit the canal connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. This means the canal will be able to accommodate vessels of more than 360 metres long, 50 metres wide, and a draught of up to 15 metres. A dedicated engineering team led by Geodis Wilson Italy’s Industrial Projects department has developed a lashing system to secure the gates safely during transport, which will be via semisubmersible vessels from Italy to Panama. Inland transport, loading and unloading operations will be coordinated in cooperation with Sarens NV and STX Pan Ocean.