Panama Canal expansion opened: cost 5,450 million dollars – La Nacion (Argentina)

The extension consists of a third lane so they can pass ships with up to 13,000 containers, triple the current capacity until today.

The expansion cost 5,450 million dollars. Photo: EFE

With the passage of a Chinese vessel with a capacity of 9,400 containers remained open today sailing the Panama Canal expansion project, whose implementation took nine years, sued the contest 30,000 workers and cost 5,450 million dollars.

“We are the route between our continent and the world,” said Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela, who stressed that money to produce the inaugurated work will improve “equitable” life of Panamanians.

the extension consists of a third lane so they can spend boats neopanamax type, with up to 13,000 containers, triple the capacity current until today. The new locks on the canal, 427 meters long by 55 wide and 18.3 deep, requiring 4.4 million cubic meters of concrete, 16 gates which together weigh 50,000 tons and 30,000 people work to over nine years.

the cost of the work, estimated at 5,250 million dollars in 2007, rose to 5.450 million and could increase because the consortium responsible for the work demands overruns by about 3,400 million.

the author of the work is the Grupo Unidos por el Canal (GUPC), led by Spanish company Sacyr and made up of the Italian Salini Impregilo, Belgium’s Jan de Nul and Panamanian Cusa.

the first move the extended route was the ship Cosco Shipping Panama, which began this morning over the Agua Clara lock, on the Atlantic side, and went to the Pacific through the airlock Cocolí this afternoon , after traveling about 80 km.

This is a ship of 48.25 meters wide and 299.98 meters long, capable of carrying up to 9,400 containers.

the arrival of the ship at Agua Clara was celebrated with fireworks, smoke color, music and applause.

Varela and Quijano gave the captain of Cosco Shipping, Indian Jude Rodrigues, a plaque of recognition for was the first to travel the new route, and authorities of the shipping company, a commemorative gold coin 24K. Also, the president received a replica of the ship.

Thousands of Panamanians were approaching from the morning to the canal area, where the main celebration, with more than 20,000 guests, among them a dozen heads of state foreign and emeritus king of Spain, Juan Carlos, took place in the afternoon, coinciding with the departure of Cosco Pacific Shipping.

by the Panama Canal transits from 1914 about six percent of world trade and its main user, with about 70 percent of the flow, is the United States.