King Abdul-Aziz university

Maritime studiesTanker Operation

Panama’s CanalMohammed Al-Eid

0910659

Contents:1. Brief information2. History 3. Layout4. Lock 5. Current issues6. Statistics 7. conclusion

• The Panama Canal is an 82-kilometre (51 mi) ship canal in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean (via the Caribbean Sea) to the Pacific Ocean. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a key conduit for international maritime trade.

• One of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken, the Panama Canal shortcut made it possible for ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in half the time previously required. The shorter, faster, safer route to the U.S. West Coast and to nations in and along the Pacific Ocean allowed those places to become more integrated with the world economy.

• Ownership of the territory that is now the Panama Canal was first Colombian, then French and then American before coming under the control of the Panamanian government in 1999. The American Society of Civil Engineers has named the Panama Canal one of the seven wonders of the modern world.

Construction of Panama Canal:As the trade flourished between various countries, there was a need for mass transportation of goods, for which different types of ships catered. There was always a need to ship these enormous quantity of goods quickly, for which the canal construction was adopted. The route adopted before the construction of the Panama canal was to travel round the "Cape Horn" (located in southern most tip of South America), covering a distance of approximately 24000 Kms. This travel takes approximately a month. But after the construction of the Panama canal, which cuts between the North and South continents of America, a ship has to travel only 10000 Kms to reach California, which is not even half the distance via Cape Horn. This substantially saved lot of time and costs. Thus the construction of Panama Canal made a great impact on shipping and world trade.

• 1534 First survey led by Charles I of Spain a canal is unfeasible• 1534-1880 Multiple surveys by different countries

but no conclusive results• 1880 Beginning of construction by French Canal

Company• 1888 Abandon of French Canal Company for

financial and medical reasons• 1904 The US re-starts the construction• 1914 First ship uses the waterway

Layout of the canal:Connection between the Atlantic ocean and the Pacific ocean• Length: 77.1 km’• Height: 26 m• 3 sets of locks• 3 artificial lakes (Miraflores,Gatún and Alajuela)

The Lock Gates are located at 3 different places over the length of the canal. Entering the canal from pacific ocean, we have• 1. Miraflores lock gates,• 2. Pedro Miguel lock gates,• 3. Gatun lock gates.

Current issues:• Efficiency and maintenance• Capacity• Competition•Water issues