The Panama Canal Expansion has been Inaugurated
Yesterday, Sunday June 26th the new third set of locks in the Panama Canal was inaugurated. The expansion project took 9 years of work, it’s revealing and maiden voyage was witnessed by over 20,000 people.
At the event the Chonese vessel, Cosco Shipping Panama, renamed specifically for the important trip made the inaugural trust through the newest set of locks, beginning on the Atlantic side, Auga Clara and ending in the Pacific at Cocoli approximately 8 hours after.In the inaugural speech the Canal Administrator recognized the dedication and work of 40,000 workers who participated in making the project possible, of whom 90% of whom were Panamanians. He made special mention of the eight workers who died during the expansion. A one minute silence was held to honor these men during the opening ceremony.
A young Panamanian girl girl helped the Canal Administrator trigger the lever, opening the floodgates for the Cosco Shipping Panama, the ship crossed over to the middle chamber.
President Juan Carlos Varela was in attendance, accompanied by his Cabinet and in his speech he stressed the historical importance of Colon as a major part of the Canal route. “This was where it all started. Here began the Chagres route, the Camino de Cruces, then the interoceanic railway, the 1914 Canal and and now the expansion. More than 160 ships have made reservations to follow the first vessel which paid $586,000 toll paid by the ship of the Chinese shipping company.”
Just outside the area, groups of citizens gathered on Avenida Balboa to protest the 4 million dollar event, as areas of the country were without water, These protesters sought answers to the state of the nations schools, and health care system.
