Panama Canal Expansion Delayed

The Panama Canal expansion’s completion date has been delayed from April 2015 to June 2015 in the Pacific locks, according the Panama Canal Authority.

The delay was caused by a re-evaluation and modification of the logistics and duration of the locks’ electromechanical works, the agency said.

Previously, the locks were expected to open to commercial traffic in mid-2015, following completion in April. Between April and mid-2015, the Panama Canal Authority had planned to test its own transits.

As a result, it is likely that the locks will now not be opened to commercial traffic until the second half of 2015, rather than mid-2015, because of the required transit testing period.

The Atlantic locks are still slated for completion in March 2015. The Panama Canal expansion was originally scheduled to be completed in 2014, but was delayed last year until April 2015.

Source: Journal of Commerce