THE Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has announced that its expansion programme to more than double capacity has reached another milestone with the arrival of the first four of 16 gates for the two new lock complexes at each end of the waterway.
The steel gates were arrived on board the semi-submersible, STX Sun Rise, from Trieste. They will be moved using the same self-propelled motorised wheel transporters (SPMT) used to load and unload the gates from the ship.
Built by subcontractor Cimolai SpA, the gates are 58 metres long, 10 metres wide and 30 metres high, and weigh 3,100 tonnes. They will be installed in the middle chamber of the new lock complex on the Atlantic side of the canal.
The new locks have a total of 16 steel rolling gates (eight for each new lock complex), whereas the canal's two existing lanes use miter gates. The new gates are being shipped four at a time from Italy.
"This is an exciting moment for the Panama Canal - the arrival of the new gates marks a great progress for this engineering project," canal administrator Jorge Quijano said.
WORLD SHIPPING
25 August 2013 - 19:16
First four of 16 steel lock gates arrive for Panama's Atlantic side
THE Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has announced that its expansion programme to more than double capacity has reached another milestone with the arrival of the first four of 16 gates for the two new lock complexes at each end of the waterway.
WORLD SHIPPING
25 August 2013 - 19:16
First four of 16 steel lock gates arrive for Panama's Atlantic side
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