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Panama Canal expansion 96% completePanama Canal expansion 96% complete

The Panama Canal Authority announced the expansion is 96% complete, and outlined the next steps in the project.

Anne Kalosh, Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

December 28, 2015

1 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

Locks reinforcements are scheduled to be completed mid-January, followed by testing of the locks reinforcements and other tests. In April, transit trial tests with a chartered vessel in the Atlantic locks are expected to take place.

A date for the expansion's inauguration will then be selected. This is expected to be in the second quarter of 2016. Subsequently, the commercial opening date will be chosen.

The opening will be soon after the inauguration.

'An expansion of the Panama Canal has never been done and we should all feel very good about where we are today,' Canal chief executive/administrator Jorge L. Quijano said. 'After a successful year, we look forward to being able to provide the benefits of the new Canal to our customers and the people of Panama.'

A video of recent progress is here.

About the Author

Anne Kalosh

Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

Anne Kalosh covers global stories, reporting both breaking and in-depth news on cruising's significant people, places, ships and trends. A sought-after expert on cruising, she has moderated conferences around the world, including the high-profile State of the Industry panel at Seatrade Cruise Global. She created and led the acclaimed itinerary-planning case study for Seatrade's cruise master classes held at Cambridge and Oxford universities. She has been the cruise columnist for AFAR.com, and her freelance stories have appeared in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Miami Herald.

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