The Panama Canal, an 82‑kilometer (51‑mile) artificial waterway that cuts through the Isthmus of Panama, connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and saves ships thousands of miles of travel around South America. The canal’s engineering system relies on a series of water‑filled locks—Gatún, Pedro Miguel, and Miraflores—that lift vessels 26 meters (85 feet) to Gatun Lake and then lower them back to sea level. The locks are gravity‑fed by fresh water from Gatun Lake, which is supplied by the Chagres River; no mechanical pumps are required. Each transit uses about 52 million gallons of water, a portion of which is treated and distributed as drinking water to residents of Panama City, Colón, and surrounding areas. A fourth set of locks, opened on 26 June 2016, allows larger Neopanamax cargo vessels to pass through. These locks incorporate side‑attached water‑saving basins that capture and recycle roughly 60 percent of the water used during each lockage. Transit time for a ship averages 8 to 10 hours. Every large vessel must be piloted by a specially trained Panama Canal pilot, while electric locomotive tractors run on tracks along the lock walls and use steel cables to keep ships centered. The canal’s construction history spans both French and American efforts. During the French attempt in the late 19th century and the subsequent American construction that began in 1904, more than 25,000 workers died, largely from yellow fever and malaria before mosquito control measures were implemented. The United States resumed construction in 1904 after supporting Panama’s independence from Colombia and controlled the Canal Zone for decades. Under the 1977 Torrijos‑Carter Treaties, control was gradually transferred to Panama, which assumed full ownership and management on 31 December 1999. The Panama Canal Authority now operates the facility. The first ship to transit the canal was the SS Ancon, an American cargo and passenger vessel, on 15 August 1914. In 1919 the ship was commissioned to transport United States troops home from Europe after World War I. The canal generates approximately $18 million per day in revenue. Standard passages typically cost between $150 000 and $450 000, while large container ships can pay upwards of $1 million for a single transit. In rare cases, shipping companies have paid $4 million to $5.3 million in a single auction to secure priority passage. The canal’s watershed supports a rich ecosystem that includes birds, monkeys, reptiles, sloths, capybaras, and agoutis. The canal’s orientation runs north to south, reflecting Panama’s distinct geography. In 1928, adventurer Richard Halliburton swam the entire length of the canal, paying a fee of 36 cents—the lowest ever recorded for a canal transit. Halliburton, registered as the commercial vessel SS Richard Halliburton, weighed 140 to 150 pounds and was 5 feet 10 inches long; he completed the swim in 10 days.
Article source: Newsroom Panama | Image credit: Newsroom Panama