Panama Canal Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! PreviewAdvancedSpecial charactersHelpHeadingLevel 2Level 3Level 4Level 5FormatInsertLatinLatin extendedIPASymbolsGreekGreek extendedCyrillicArabicArabic extendedHebrewBanglaTamilTeluguSinhalaDevanagariGujaratiThaiLaoKhmerCanadian AboriginalRunesÁáÀàÂâÄäÃãǍǎĀāĂ㥹ÅåĆćĈĉÇçČčĊċĐđĎďÉéÈèÊêËëĚěĒēĔĕĖėĘęĜĝĢģĞğĠġĤĥĦħÍíÌìÎîÏïĨĩǏǐĪīĬĭİıĮįĴĵĶķĹĺĻļĽľŁłŃńÑñŅņŇňÓóÒòÔôÖöÕõǑǒŌōŎŏǪǫŐőŔŕŖŗŘřŚśŜŝŞşŠšȘșȚțŤťÚúÙùÛûÜüŨũŮůǓǔŪūǖǘǚǜŬŭŲųŰűŴŵÝýŶŷŸÿȲȳŹźŽžŻżÆæǢǣØøŒœßÐðÞþƏəFormattingLinksHeadingsListsFilesDiscussionReferencesDescriptionWhat you typeWhat you getItalic''Italic text''Italic textBold'''Bold text'''Bold textBold & italic'''''Bold & italic text'''''Bold & italic textDescriptionWhat you typeWhat you getReferencePage text.<ref>[https://www.example.org/ Link text], additional text.</ref>Page text.[1]Named referencePage text.<ref name="test">[https://www.example.org/ Link text]</ref>Page text.[2]Additional use of the same referencePage text.<ref name="test" />Page text.[2]Display references<references />↑ Link text, additional text.↑ Link text===Efficiency and maintenance=== Opponents to the 1977 [[Torrijos-Carter Treaties]] feared that efficiency and maintenance would suffer following the U.S. withdrawal from the Panama Canal Zone; however, this has been proven not to be the case. In 2004, it was reported that canal operations, capitalizing on practices developed during the American administration, were improving under Panamanian control.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/panama.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120913044023/http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/panama.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-09-13 |title=Panama Rises |journal=Smithsonian Magazine |date=March 2004 |publisher=Smithsonian Institution |first=Bob |last=Cullen |access-date=2012-04-30 }}</ref> Canal Waters Time (CWT), the average time it takes a vessel to navigate the canal, including waiting time, is a key measure of efficiency; in the first decade of the 2000s, it ranged between 20 and 30 hours, according to the ACP. The accident rate has also not changed appreciably in the past decade, varying between 10 and 30 accidents each year from about 14,000 total annual transits.<ref name=annualreport2005>{{cite web |url=http://www.pancanal.com/common/general/reports/informe-anual-2005.pdf |title=ACP 2005 Annual Report |publisher=Panama Canal Authority |year=2005 |access-date=2010-07-09 |archive-date=May 6, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090506181207/http://www.pancanal.com/common/general/reports/informe-anual-2005.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=metrics2008>{{Cite news |url=http://www.pancanal.com/eng/pr/press-releases/2008/10/24/pr300.html |title=News—PanCanal.com; Panama Canal Authority Announces Fiscal Year 2008 Metrics |publisher=Panama Canal Authority |date=2008-10-24 |access-date=2010-07-09 |archive-date=May 7, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507150245/http://www.pancanal.com/eng/pr/press-releases/2008/10/24/pr300.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=metrics2009>{{Cite news |url=http://www.pancanal.com/eng/pr/press-releases/2009/10/30/pr366.html |title=News—PanCanal.com; Panama Canal Authority Announces Fiscal Year 2009 Metrics |publisher=Panama Canal Authority |date=2009-10-30 |access-date=2010-07-09 |archive-date=June 11, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611095934/http://www.pancanal.com/eng/pr/press-releases/2009/10/30/pr366.html |url-status=live }}</ref> An official accident is one in which a formal investigation is requested and conducted. Increasing volumes of imports from Asia, which previously landed on US West Coast ports, are now passing through the canal to the American East Coast.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.colliers.com/Content/Attachments/Corporate/Services/NewYorkTimes112204.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050307191412/http://colliers.com/Content/Attachments/Corporate/Services/NewYorkTimes112204.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2005-03-07|title=New York Port Hums Again, With Asian Trade|first=Eric|last=Lipton|work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2004-11-22}}</ref> The total number of ocean-going transits increased from 11,725 in 2003 to 13,233 in 2007, falling to 12,855 in 2009. (The canal's fiscal year runs from October through September.)<ref name="annualreport2009">{{cite web|url=http://www.pancanal.com/eng/general/reporte-anual/2009/pdf/InformePDFingles.pdf|title=ACP 2009 Annual Report|publisher=Panama Canal Authority|year=2009|access-date=2010-07-09|archive-date=November 3, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111103054620/http://www.pancanal.com/eng/general/reporte-anual/2009/pdf/InformePDFingles.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> This has been coupled with a steady rise in average ship size and in the numbers of Panamax vessels passing through the canal, so that the total tonnage carried rose from 227.9 million [[tonnage|PC/UMS tons]] in fiscal year 1999 to a then record high of 312.9 million tons in 2007, and falling to 299.1 million tons in 2009.<ref name="acptraffic" /><ref name="annualreport2009" /> Tonnage for fiscal 2013, 2014 and 2015 was 320.6, 326.8 and 340.8 million PC/UMS tons carried on 13,660, 13,481 and 13,874 transits respectively.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pancanal.com/eng/op/transit-stats/2015/Table01.pdf|title=Panama Canal Traffic—Fiscal Years 2013 through 2015 |publisher=Panama Canal Authority |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160719152021/http://www.pancanal.com/eng/op/transit-stats/2015/Table01.pdf|archive-date=2016-07-19}}</ref> In the first decade after the transfer to Panamanian control, the [[Panama Canal Authority]] (ACP) invested nearly US$1 billion in widening and modernizing the canal, with the aim of increasing capacity by 20 percent.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/panama.canal/stories/operation/|title=Transfer heavy on symbolism, light on change|first=Steve|last=Nettleton |publisher=CNN Interactive|year=2000 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218155312/http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/panama.canal/stories/operation/|archive-date=December 18, 2008}}</ref> The ACP cites a number of major improvements, including the widening and straightening of the Culebra Cut to reduce restrictions on passing vessels, the deepening of the navigational channel in Gatun Lake to reduce draft restrictions and improve water supply, and the deepening of the Atlantic and Pacific entrances to the canal. This is supported by new equipment, such as a new drill barge and suction dredger, and an increase of the [[Tugboat|tug boat]] fleet by 20 percent. In addition, improvements have been made to the canal's operating machinery, including an increased and improved tug locomotive fleet, the replacement of more than {{convert|16|km|0|abbr=on}} of locomotive track, and new lock machinery controls. Improvements have been made to the traffic management system to allow more efficient control over ships in the canal.<ref>{{cite web|title=9 Facts about the Panama Canal Expansion – Infographic |url=http://www.mercatrade.com/blog/9-facts-about-the-panama-canal-expansion/ |publisher=Mercatrade |access-date=28 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020083517/http://www.mercatrade.com/blog/9-facts-about-the-panama-canal-expansion/ |archive-date=20 October 2014 }}</ref> In December 2010, record-breaking rains caused a 17-hour closure of the canal; this was the first closure since the [[U.S. invasion of Panama]] in 1989.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11953800|access-date=2010-12-13|title=Panama Canal reopens after temporary closure|work=BBC News|date=9 December 2010|archive-date=October 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181017113304/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11953800|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5izSSaRRPlqlKrEgImAAMgZtqhsdw?docId=N0087151292030740345A |access-date=2010-12-12|title=The Press Association: Panama flooding displaces thousands|date=2010-12-12}}</ref> The rains also caused an access road to the Centenario Bridge to collapse.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://laestrella.com.pa/mensual/2010/12/12/contenido/18225705.asp |access-date=2010-12-13 |title=NOTICIAS PANAMÁ—PERIÓDICO LA ESTRELLA ONLINE: Gobierno abrirá parcialmente Puente Centenario; Corredores serán gratis [Al Minuto] |date=2010-12-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101216063033/http://www.laestrella.com.pa/mensual/2010/12/12/contenido/18225705.asp |archive-date=2010-12-16 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=151684|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130501024710/http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=151684|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-05-01|access-date=2012-07-08|title=Rain Causes Panama Canal Bridge To Collapse|publisher=digtriad.com|date=2010-12-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://english.cri.cn/6966/2010/12/11/2021s609648.htm|access-date=2010-12-13|title=Entrance to Panama Canal Bridge Closed due to Rain Damage|date=2010-12-13|archive-date=December 15, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101215200209/http://english.cri.cn/6966/2010/12/11/2021s609648.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsroompanama.com/panama/2073-aftermath-of-panama-flooding-hits-transport-and-finances-rain-continues.html |access-date=2010-12-13 |title=Aftermath of Panama flooding hits transport and finances—rain continues |date=2010-12-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101216060538/http://www.newsroompanama.com/panama/2073-aftermath-of-panama-flooding-hits-transport-and-finances-rain-continues.html |archive-date=2010-12-16 }}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page