SLIEDRECHT, Netherlands, September 8, 2010 – On Monday, September 6, Panama Canal Authority (ACP) Administrator/CEO Alberto Alemán Zubieta, and his wife Ana Matilde Alemán launched the QUIBIÁN I, a new cutter suction dredge custom-built by IHC Beaver Dredgers for the Panama Canal’s expansion.
The QUIBIÁN I, named after a 15th century indigenous Panamanian leader whose name signifies resolution and unity, is expected to arrive in Panama City by the second quarter of 2011.
The ceremony took place at the Sliedrecht shipyard in the Netherlands, where the QUIBIÁN I was built. The dredge will be used in the Panama Canal’s expansion project until its completion in 2014. Subsequent usage will include maintenance and other modernization projects for the waterway.
About the Panama Canal Authority (ACP)
The ACP is the autonomous agency of the Government of Panama in charge of managing, operating and maintaining the Panama Canal. The operation of the ACP is based on its organic law and the regulations approved by its Board of Directors. For more information, please refer to the ACP’s Web site: www.pancanal.com. You can also follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/thepanamacanal.