The Panama Canal expansion project has reached its final phase, which begins with the filling of the Gatún Lock on the Atlantic side.
Filling is carried out through five valves located in their respective pipes, each 0.9 meters in diameter. First, the lower chamber will be filled, followed by the middle chamber, reaching an elevation of 2.4 meters below sea level, at which point the initial tests of the gates can begin. The upper chamber will be flooded last.
The filling rate is 41 cubic meters per hour. It is a complex and lengthy process, since the lock will not be completely filled for another 110 days. Once the locks on the Atlantic side are ready, work will begin on filling the locks on the Pacific side.
During this stage, the proper operation of the filling and draining mechanism will be verified, as well as the watertightness of the gates and that the valves are functioning properly. Subsequently, tests related to ship navigation will be conducted.
It is estimated that the expansion of the interoceanic waterway, which began in 2007, will be completed by April of next year, 2016. The new sets of locks will allow for the passage of Neopanamax ships, with maximum dimensions of 366 meters in length, 49 meters in beam y 15.24 meters of draft and with a capacity of 13,200 containers.
