Panama Canal readies for inauguration of expansion

The Panama Canal is getting ready for expansion that will take traffic through the inter-oceanic passage to a new level, officials said.

With the expansion of the canal's width and depth, the volume of traffic will double, as Panamax-class vessels will now be able to pass through, carrying up to 14,000 cargo containers, Xinhua news agency reported.

Jorge Luis Quijano, administrator of the Panama Canal, said at a press conference on Saturday that this expansion, which will be inaugurated on Sunday, will open up new opportunities in sectors such as logistics and ship repairs.

The main contractor for the expansion was the consortium Grupo Unidos por el Canal.

Espino de Marotta said the project had gone very smoothly, considering the complexity of the works involved. "The expansion of the Panama Canal is one of those projects that happens once every 100 years," he said.

--IANS

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