The Panama Canal unites the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans at one of the narrowest point of both the Isthmus of Panama and the American Continent.
The Canal officially opened its doors to international trade on August 15, 1914 and since then over 970,000 vessels have transited the waterway. It is estimated that by October of this year, that figure will top 1 million. Our ship was charged $500,000 to pass through the Canal. The next picture was taken by looking straight down from our balcony. You can see that very little space is left between the side of the ship and the edge of the locks. A larger canal is being built to accommodate wider vessels.
The Canal has three locks, each with two lanes, that operate as water lifts to elevate ships 26 meters above sea level to the level of Gatun Lake in transit through the Continental Divide and then lower them back down to sea level on the opposite side of the Isthmus.
At each lock, water obtained from Gatun Lake is sealed by the gates in the lock chamber and then gravity drains the water to the lower levels. Approximately 197 million liters of fresh water is used for each lock and ultimately flushed into the sea.
A Control House, located on the center wall of the upper chamber, operates the locks for every ship passing through. Ships use their own power while going through the locks, but they are assisted by electric locomotives. Working in pairs, the locomotives keep the vessels in position within each chamber. Depending on the size of the vessel, from four to eight locomotives are required. Our ship used six, three on each side.
Row boats are used to go out to each vessel and bring the lines back for the trains.
The Canal has three locks, each with two lanes, that operate as water lifts to elevate ships 26 meters above sea level to the level of Gatun Lake in transit through the Continental Divide and then lower them back down to sea level on the opposite side of the Isthmus.
At each lock, water obtained from Gatun Lake is sealed by the gates in the lock chamber and then gravity drains the water to the lower levels. Approximately 197 million liters of fresh water is used for each lock and ultimately flushed into the sea.
A Control House, located on the center wall of the upper chamber, operates the locks for every ship passing through. Ships use their own power while going through the locks, but they are assisted by electric locomotives. Working in pairs, the locomotives keep the vessels in position within each chamber. Depending on the size of the vessel, from four to eight locomotives are required. Our ship used six, three on each side.
Row boats are used to go out to each vessel and bring the lines back for the trains.
Interesting Facts about the Panama Canal:
- During construction of the Canal, over 152.9 million cubic meters of material were removed. Were this material to be placed on railroad flatcars, it would circle the globe four times.
- On August 15, 1914, the SS Ancon officially inaugurated the Panama Canal.
- The Canal initiated round-the-clock operations on May 12, 1953, with the installation of new fluorescent lighting in the Culebra Cut and the three locks.
- The new Panama Canal locks will be 427 meters long and 55 meters wide, the size of four football fields. The present Canal is 80 kilometers in length.
- At noon on December 31, 1999, Panama assumed full responsibility for the administration, operation and maintenance of the Panama Canal.
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