Panama City, Panama, June 20, 2016 – Today, the Panama Canal conducted another successful trial transit in the Expanded Canal. The transiting vessel, a U.S.-built crane ship named the Oceanus, was maneuvered through the Pacific-facing Cocoli Locks by Panama Canal Pilots Fernando Jaén and Ricardo Varela.
The Inauguration of the Expanded Panama Canal will take place on Sunday, June 26 with the first commercial transit of the COSCO Shipping Panama.
Once inaugurated the Expanded Canal will double the waterway’s cargo capacity, enhancing the Canal’s efficiency, reliability and customer service. The new waterway will provide greater economies of scale to global commerce as Neopanamax ships will be able to transit. In line with its focus on customer service since the handover to Panama nearly 20 years ago, the Panama Canal continues to provide the world, global commerce and individual segments with new products and services.
About the Panama Canal Authority
The Panama Canal is run by an autonomous agency of the Government of Panama in charge of managing, operating and maintaining the Panama Canal. The operation of the Panama Canal Authority (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 website: http://www.pancanal.com or follow us on Twitter @thepanamacanal.
