•    MARSIM ’09 WILL FOCUS ON MARINE SIMULATION, SHIP MANEUVERABILITY AND CANAL EXPANSION PROGRAM

PANAMA CITY, Panama, May 18, 2009 – Demonstrating its commitment to excellence and technological innovation in the maritime industry, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) Center for Maritime Training, Research and Development will host the 2009 International Conference on Marine Simulation and Ship Maneuverability (MARSIM) August 17-20. For the first time, MARSIM will be held in Panama City, Panama, where maritime industry leaders, academics and researchers will come together from across the globe to share the latest developments in marine simulation, safety and ship maneuverability, and discuss the progress and anticipated benefits of the Panama Canal Expansion Program. “The ACP uses simulation technology to enhance the safety of vessel navigation through the Canal and streamline transits for our customers,” said ACP Captain Rogelio Altafulla. “We are proud to host MARSIM ’09, a scientific platform for sharing the industry’s best practices in marine simulation.”

MARSIM will include a number of presentations on marine simulation and ship maneuverability, featuring cutting-edge research simulation studies being conducted by academic institutions in Asia, Europe, North America and Panama. The conference will also showcase simulators used to improve ship maneuvering techniques and highlight the development of procedures to evaluate and improve safe and efficient ship handling. By exposing attendees to the latest in marine simulation technology and research, the ACP aims to advance the shipping industry’s navigational training and educational methods.

Event attendees will discuss the latest developments of the Panama Canal Expansion Program, which will build a new lane of traffic along the Canal through the construction of a new set of locks, doubling capacity and allowing for more traffic and longer, wider ships.

For more information on MARSIM ‘09, please visit http://www.pancanal.com/marsim09/index.html.

About the Panama Canal Authority
The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is the autonomous agency of the Government of Panama in charge of managing, operating and maintaining the Panama Canal. The ACP is governed by its organic law and the regulations approved by its Board of Directors. For more information, please refer to the Panama Canal Authority’s Web site: http://www.pancanal.com/.