Panama Canal Expansion Pushed to 2016
The head of the Panama Canal Authority said completion of the canal’s $5 billion expansion has been delayed until 2016, from a previously targeted late 2015 completion date, the Associated Press reported.
Jorge Quijano told maritime leaders at the South Carolina International Trade Conference Sept. 9 that problems with contractors have delayed the project.
He gave the conference an update on the status of the expansion project and said construction of new locks to handle a new generation of larger container ships was about 75% complete, according to AP.
Quijano said that while he could provide a specific opening date, the authority has been asked by shipping lines about it because they want one of their ships to be the first to pass through the expanded waterway.
