Open Up: Passing Through the Panama Canal, Gatun Locks

A cargo-laden ship passing through the Panama Canal in April 2009 at the Gatun Locks, the last of 3 sets of locks and the one that releases it into the Caribbean Sea on the east side of the Isthmus of Panama.

The three sets of locks (Miraflores, Pedro Miguel, and Gatun Locks) each have two parallel lanes, and operate as water lifts to elevate ships 26 meters above sea level to the level of Gatun Lake. The water level then lowers vessels back to sea level on the opposite side of the isthmus. The locomotives you'll see alongside the ship help to tow and align the ship properly within the locks chambers, preventing collision.

The Panama Canal officially opened its doors to international trade on August 15, 1914, with the transit of the SS Ancon, and since then over a million ships have passed through it. The United States, China and Japan are the top 3 users of the canal by origin and destination of cargo, which are typically grains, petroleum and containerized cargo.

Music: Open Up, from a Nescafe commercial found here on YouTube

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Panama
• canal
• gatun
• locks
• ship
• cargo
• locomotives
• open
• up
• passing
• transit
• trade
• isthmus

[romfeastore]

greek cargo yeeeeeeah

[TheAlmostBROS]

kewl