Panama Canal celebrates 95th Birthday
Tuesday, August 25, 2009 19:33
Panama Canal celebrates 95th Birthday
Mid August marked the 95th anniversary of the Panama Canal, which has provided transit to no less than 983,000 vessels over this period. The waterway is expected to achieve the 1 million mark in 2010, heralding a milestone in the operation of the strategic country’s history and development over the years.
The Canal Authority’s CEO, Alberto Aleman Zubieta claimed that the canal had indeed been influential in the development of Panama and its destiny, playing a vital role in the evolution of not only shipping, but of transportation as a whole. The canal’s development, as well as the ongoing expansion project has further significantly contributed in a variety of areas of expertise such as that of engineering, hydraulics, strategic dredging and the management of natural resources, providing significant contributions to the scientific advancements made, not only in the region but across the world.
The Canal Expansion project which is aimed at accommodating larger ships further contributes to the latest technological and scientific advancements by man, and with the project starting in September 2007, the ongoing work remains on budget and on track in terms of service and time deliverables. Once the expansion project has been completed a significant increase in traffic is expected, together with the benefits associated thereto for the immediate region, as well as the recipient ports receiving the larger cargo ships.
Zubieta further lauded the Panamanian people in their sound and effective management of the strategic waterway and stated that although the 95th anniversary may seem as a mere step in institutional terms, the future of the canal indicates international and national benefits across the board.
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