Panama Canal. Everything you need to know about the engineering marvel and how to visit it. Panama Canal: “Tragic Construction of the Century Who owns the Panama Canal

And container ships. The maximum size of a ship that can transit the Panama Canal has become a de facto standard in shipbuilding, called Panamax.

Vessels are guided through the Panama Canal by the Panama Canal Pilot Service. The average time for a vessel to pass through the canal is 9 hours, the minimum is 4 hours 10 minutes. Maximum throughput is 48 vessels per day. Every year, about 14 thousand ships carrying about 280 million tons of cargo pass through the canal structures. (5% of global ocean freight). The canal is overloaded, so the queue to pass through it is sold at auction. The total fee for a vessel's passage through the canal can reach $400,000. By 2002, more than 800 thousand vessels had already used the canal’s services.

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  The original plan to build a canal connecting the two oceans dates back to the 16th century, but King Philip II of Spain banned the consideration of such projects, since “what God has united, man cannot separate.” In the 1790s. the canal project was developed by Alessandro Malaspina, his team even surveyed the canal construction route.

  With the growth of international trade, interest in the canal revived by the early 19th century; in 1814, Spain passed a law establishing an interoceanic canal; in 1825, a similar decision was made by the Congress of Central American States. The discovery of gold deposits in California caused increased interest in the canal problem in the United States, and in 1848, under the Hayes Treaty, the United States received a monopoly in Nicaragua for the construction of all types of interoceanic communication routes. Great Britain, whose possessions adjoined Nicaragua, hastened to curb the expansion of the United States by concluding with them on April 18, 1850 the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty on a joint guarantee of the neutrality and security of the future interoceanic canal. Throughout the 19th century, two main options for directing the canal were considered: through Nicaragua (see Nicaraguan Canal) and through Panama.

  However, the first attempt to build a shipping route on the Isthmus of Panama dates back only to 1879. The initiative in developing the Panama option was intercepted by the French. At that time, the attention of the United States was mainly attracted to the Nicaraguan variant. In 1879, in Paris, under the chairmanship of the head of the construction of the Suez Canal, Ferdinand Lesseps, the “General Interoceanic Canal Company” was created, the shares of which were purchased by more than 800 thousand people, the company bought from the engineer Wise for 10 million francs the concession for the construction of the Panama Canal, which he received from the Colombian government. in 1878. An international congress convened before the formation of the Panama Canal Company favored a sea-level canal; the cost of the work was planned at 658 million francs and the volume of excavation work was envisaged at 157 million cubic meters. yards In 1887, the idea of ​​a lockless canal had to be abandoned in order to reduce the amount of work, since the company’s funds (1.5 billion francs) were spent mainly on bribing newspapers and members of parliament; only a third was spent on work. As a result, the company stopped making payments on December 14, 1888, and work was soon stopped.

  The Panama scandal was clear evidence of the decomposition of the political and business elites of the French Third Republic and revealed the scale of corruption among the press. "Panama" has since become a household name for a major public bribery scam. The company went bankrupt, which led to the ruin of thousands of small shareholders. This adventure was called the Panama one, and the word “Panama” became synonymous with a scam, fraud on a grand scale. A court-appointed liquidator of the Panama Canal Company created the new company The Panama Canal, from the very beginning, was doomed to languish due to financial difficulties and the project's bad reputation.

  Under the Treaty of 1903, the United States received in perpetual possession "a zone of land and land under water for the construction, maintenance, operation, sanitary order and protection of the said canal," as provided for in Article 2 of the Treaty. Article 3 gave the United States all rights as if it were the sovereign of the territory. In addition, the United States became the guarantor of the independence of the Republic of Panama and received the right to maintain order in the cities of Panama and Colon in the event that the Republic of Panama, in the opinion of the United States, would be unable to maintain order on its own. The economic side of the Treaty repeated the Hay-Herran Treaty, which was not ratified by Colombia. On behalf of Panama, the agreement was signed by French citizen Philippe Bunau-Varia 2 hours before the official delegation of Panama arrived in Washington.

  Construction began under the auspices of the US Department of Defense, and Panama effectively became a US protectorate.

  In August 1945, Japan planned to bomb the canal.

  Channel configuration

  Due to the S-shape of the Isthmus of Panama, the Panama Canal is directed from the southeast (Pacific Ocean side) to the northwest (Atlantic Ocean). The canal consists of two artificial lakes connected by canals and deepened river beds, as well as two groups of locks. From the Atlantic Ocean, the three-chamber gateway “Gatun” connects Limon Bay with Lake Gatun. On the Pacific Ocean side, the two-chamber Miraflores lock and the single-chamber Pedro Miguel lock connect Panama Bay with the canal bed. The difference between the level of the World Ocean and the level of the Panama Canal is 25.9 meters. Additional water supply is provided by another reservoir - Lake Alajuela.

  All canal locks are double-threaded, which ensures the possibility of simultaneous oncoming traffic of ships along the canal. In practice, however, usually both lines of locks work to allow ships through in the same direction. Dimensions of the lock chambers: width 33.53 m, length 304.8 m, minimum depth 12.55 m. Each chamber holds 101 thousand m³ of water. Guidance of large vessels through locks is provided by special small electric-powered railway locomotives called mules(in honor of mules, which previously served as the main draft force for moving barges along rivers).

  The canal administration has established the following passage dimensions for vessels: length - 294.1 m (965 ft), width - 32.3 m (106 ft), draft - 12 m (39.5 ft) in fresh water tropical water, height - 57.91 m (190 ft), size from waterline to high point vessel In exceptional cases, vessels may be granted permission to pass at a height of 62.5 m (205 ft), provided that the passage is in low water.

  Along its length, the canal is crossed by two bridges. Along the canal route between the cities of Panama and Colon is laid highway and the railway.

  Payments for channel passage

  Canal tolls are officially collected by the Panama Canal Authority, a government agency of Panama. Duty rates are set depending on the type of vessel.

  The amount of duty for container ships is calculated depending on their capacity, expressed in TEU (the volume of a standard 20-foot container). From May 1, 2006, the rate is $49 per TEU.

  The amount of payment from other vessels is determined depending on their displacement. For 2006, the fee rate was $2.96 per ton up to 10 thousand tons, $2.90 for each of the subsequent 10 thousand tons and $2.85 for each subsequent ton.

  The amount of dues for small vessels is calculated based on their length:

  The future of the channel

  On October 23, 2006, the results of the referendum on the expansion of the Panama Canal were summed up in Panama, which was supported by 79% of the population. The adoption of this plan was facilitated by the Chinese business structures that manage the channel. According to the plan, by 2016 the canal was to be modernized and would be able to accommodate oil tankers with a displacement of more than 130 thousand tons, which would significantly reduce the time it takes to deliver Venezuelan oil to China. Just at this time, Venezuela promised to increase oil supplies to China to 1 million

  Some call it a high-speed waterway, others the eighth wonder of the world, others a bridge between east and west. It is also called an artery, an incredible megastructure, a bottleneck, a monument to perseverance and heroism, as well as a water corridor. It is considered one of the greatest and most complex buildings in the entire history of mankind, and is called nothing less than the Panama Canal.

  This shipping lock channel crosses the Isthmus of Panama and connects the Caribbean Sea, the Atlantic Sea and Pacific Ocean s, had a gigantic influence on the development of shipping and the economy throughout the Earth as a whole. Thanks to the Panama Canal, the number of kilometers decreased by as much as 13,000 kilometers. sea ​​route for ships from largest metropolis New York to San Francisco. At its core, the Panama Canal is a sea route dug into the ground for the passage of cargo and passenger ships. It is located in one of the narrowest places South America. At the end of the 19th century, a fabulous amount was spent on the construction of the canal, about 300 million dollars.

  

  Functioning system and technical features of the channel

  The length of the canal is 81 kilometers and 600 meters, the minimum width of the canal is limited by the width of the lock chambers of 33.5 meters, and the depth is 12 meters. The canal administration has established the following passage dimensions for ships: length - 294.1 meters, width - 32.3 meters, draft - 12 meters in fresh tropical water, height - 57.91 meters, size from the waterline to the highest point of the vessel. In exceptional cases, vessels may be granted permission to pass at a height of 62.5 meters, provided that the passage is carried out in low water.

  

  In the Foto The Panama Canal is a two-way canal

  The locks work on the following principle: the gate opens and the ship, towed by a heavy locomotive, enters the first lock. After this, the gate is closed and the sluice is filled or emptied (depending on the purpose of the sluice) through the valves.

  

  In the Foto Panama Canal Lock System

  When the level in one lock is equal to the next, the lock gates open and the ship continues towing. The Panama Canal itself generates energy, under the influence of which the gates open or close and the locks fill.

  

  In the Foto Ships no wider than 32.3 meters are allowed to pass through the Panama Canal

  When a ship travels along the canal, it is accompanied from two different sides by several mini trains (locomotives), nicknamed “mules” among sailors. They help the ship stay in the center of the lock and not touch the walls.

  Mini trains (locomotors) have a walkie-talkie that receives signals from the ship's navigator, but does not transmit anything to the ship.

  

  In the Foto Each such “mule” weighs 55 tons

  There are three locks on the Panama Canal: Gatun on the Atlantic side, Pedro Miguel and Miraflores on the Pacific side.

  Entering from the Atlantic Ocean, ships undergo “lock tests” - they rise through the three stages of the Gatun locks in artificial lake Gatun, which is formed by the Gatun dam. From Lake Gatun, ships pass the 12-kilometer Culebra Notch and descend through the Pedro Miguel locks into Lake Miraflores, pass the two-stage Miraflores locks and exit into the Gulf of Panama.

  

  The ship travels through the Panama Canal in an average of 8 hours and rises 26 meters above sea level. The minimum transit time through the Panama Canal is 4 hours 10 minutes.

  Maximum throughput is 48 vessels per day. Every year, about 17.5 thousand ships carrying more than 203 million tons of cargo pass through the canal structures.

  

  The canal allows a wide variety of vessels to pass through, from private yachts to huge tankers and container ships. The maximum size of a ship that can transit the Panama Canal has become a standard in shipbuilding, called Panamax.

  How much does a big swim cost?

  The number of ships wishing to sail through the Panama Canal is incredibly large. Sometimes ships wait for their turn for weeks. Of course, you have to pay a lot for such luxury as crossing from one ocean to another in just 8 hours. For each vessel, depending on its size and weight, special price. Every ship pays to pass through the Panama Canal. The cost of passage for a small yacht is about 800 US dollars and for the most big ship this is approximately 500,000 US dollars.

  

  In addition, there are people for whom every second is important and they cannot wait: there are special auctions for them. The one who pays the highest amount will be able to skip the line and go through the canal. For example, once 90 ships lined up in front of the entrance to the Panama Canal. An auction was held, in which a tanker called Erikoussa won; it did not regret paying $220,400 for an extraordinary passage through the Panama Canal, instead of the legal $13,400.

  

  As for the collection of money for the passage of ships, it is carried out by a government agency - the Panama Canal Administration.

  Millionaires of the Panama Canal

  Special navigators guide the ship through the Panama Canal; this is a very honorable and highly paid job in Panama. Depending on the type of vessel, the number of navigators varies from one to three. Panamanian navigators are the local elite and can earn up to $24,000 a month, while the minimum wage in Panama is $450. Also at the Panama Canal there are a kind of sailors whose function is to establish communication between the locomotor and the ship. They swim up on boats with a rope, take one end of the rope that stretches from the ship and connect it to the locomotor.

  Channel modernization

  100 years have passed and modern ships have become very large for the Panama Canal. A ship that does not fit into the 33.5-meter wide canal locks is called Post-Panamax. This means that it is too large to pass through the waterway. The process of modernizing the canal has already begun. Today, Post-Panamax vessels are bypassing the canal, and Panama is losing millions of dollars. The canal expansion project involves building a new lock system on both sides and expanding the old locks to accommodate Post-Panamax-sized vessels. A new 6-kilometre navigation channel will connect the Pacific Gateway to the Gaillard Cut.

  

  In the Foto

  Dramatic story

  “Panama” is the name given to the capital of the state of Panama, as well as various major financial frauds! This word came into circulation after the construction of the Panama Canal, which, by a strange coincidence, became the biggest scam of the late 19th century and a dark spot in the history of the state. The construction of the canal caused a huge economic boom, both among the big tycoons and financial tycoons and among ordinary people. Every American at that time tried to acquire shares of the Panama Canal, which promised incredible profits.

  Construction of the canal began in 1880, workers and engineers from all over the world came to Panama, and the grandiose construction project was commanded by Ferdinand Leseps, under whose leadership the Suez Canal was dug. The General Interoceanic Canal Company was created, the shares of which were purchased by more than 800 thousand. Human. By 1888, 2 times more money had been spent on the construction of the canal than expected, and only a third of the work had been completed. The reason was the wrong project (Ferdinand Lesseps insisted that the canal be dug at sea level) and the inability to cope with diseases - malaria and yellow fever - due to which workers died. There is information that at least 20 thousand died. Human. The construction of the canal became notorious, doctors could not cope with yellow fever, people fled the construction, and some groups of workers even brought their own coffins with them from France. The company went bankrupt, thousands of small shareholders went bankrupt. Further investigation revealed facts of massive corruption, bribery of officials and newspaper editors by the company. This adventure was called the Panama one, and since then the word “Panama” has become synonymous with scam and fraud. As a result, Ferdinand Lesseps was accused of a major scam and arrested; he, of course, did not want to get rich in this way, therefore, unable to withstand the blow of fate, he lost his mind.

  

  In the Foto Spanish workers building the Panama Canal (photo taken before 1900)

  In 1904, the Americans got down to business. They had new safety precautions and a new construction plan. The French wanted to build a canal at sea level, but the Americans preferred a lock system that raises and lowers ships passing through the canal in accordance with the landscape.

  In general, the Isthmus of Panama is one of the most complex geological areas of the earth's surface - mountainous, covered with impenetrable jungle and deep swamps. The local mountains, formed as a result of volcanic activity, are a mixture of hard rocks and soft rocks, the mixture is disorderly and located at different angles. The canal builders passed 6 large geological faults and 5 centers of volcanic activity. If we add to this the scorching sun, very high humidity, heavy tropical rains typical of these places, as well as regular floods of the Chagres River, which sometimes take on catastrophic proportions and yellow fever, then the chances of building such a structure as the Panama Canal were very small. It’s good that the engineers of the past did not have detailed information about the geology of the isthmus and all the other natural “surprises”, otherwise the Panama Canal would hardly have ever been built.

  

  In the Foto The canal builders passed 6 large geological faults and 5 centers of volcanic activity

  Remembering the unsuccessful first attempt to dig a canal, the Americans sent an entire army, led by 1,500 people, on a campaign against mosquitoes. The scale of this operation is eloquently demonstrated by the following data: it was necessary to cut down and burn 30 square kilometers of bushes and trees, cut down and burn grass in the same area, drain a million square yards of swamps, dig 250 thousand feet (76.2 km) of drainage ditches and restore 2 million feet (609.6 km) of old ditches, spray 150 thousand gallons (567.8 thousand liters) of oils that destroy mosquito larvae in breeding areas. This bore fruit: yellow fever disappeared, cases of malaria decreased, and the main problem was eliminated.

  

  In the Foto Large blocks were removed using carts, and clay and small crushed stone were washed off with water

  It took 10 years of hard work to complete the construction of the canal. They dug canals, drilled rocks, blasted hills, and rebuilt railway to remove the soil. But this time safer conditions were created for the workers, and yet even at this construction site another 5 thousand people died. After 10 years, the project was completed two years late. These were powerful gateways and canals that the world had never seen before. The Panama Canal has been called the greatest engineering feat in human history.

  Some interesting facts about the Panama Canal

  1. The canal operated continuously for 95 years from the date of its official opening, the first time it suspended its work in December 2010 due to heavy rains.

  2. Before construction of the canal began, approximately 2 million gallons of kerosene were used to spray the swamps in the area of ​​the future construction site, in order to destroy the Aedes aegypti mosquito (in English) and malaria mosquitoes - carriers of yellow fever and malaria, respectively.

  3. For the ceremonial confluence of the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, 20 tons of dynamite were laid. The explosion was carried out by pressing a button located in the White House. On the morning of October 13, 1913, US President Thomas Woodrow Wilson, in the presence of numerous high-ranking guests gathered at the White House, went to a special table and pressed a gilded button with a majestic gesture. And at the same instant, a powerful explosion shook the humid tropical air four thousand kilometers from Washington, on the Isthmus of Panama. Twenty thousand kilograms of dynamite destroyed the last barrier separating the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans near the city of Gamboa. A cable four thousand kilometers long, specially laid from the jumper at Gamboa to White House, obediently carried out the will of the president.

  4. Initially, the United States planned to build a canal not through Panama, but through Nicaragua, but a volcanic eruption prevented them from implementing this idea.

  5. It is known that the broad support of the Soviet Union for the Sandinista government of Nicaragua was carried out with the intention of constructing an interoceanic canal controlled by the USSR.

  To visit Panama and not see the Panama Canal means not to have visited Panama. Today we talk about this attraction, and also share tips on how best to visit the Panama Canal on your own.
  

  Panama Canal. Data.

  For those who have never been particularly interested in the Panama Canal, it may seem like a small stream that connects the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. In fact, its length is about 80 km, which ships travel in 8-10 hours. Until recently, the width of the canal at the lock points was 34 meters. Thanks to the opening of a new branch in June 2016, the canal can now accommodate ships with a width of 55 meters and a depth below the waterline of more than 18 meters.
  The canal consists of a system of locks (gates), which, if you move from the side Caribbean Sea, first raises the water level by 26 meters above sea level in the Gatun area. After passing the main part, the water level is lowered using the Pedro Miguel lock (9.5 meters) and the Miraflores lock system (two chambers 16.5 meters).
  
  

  The electrification of the site was carried out, among other things, with the help of two hydroelectric power plants with a capacity of 22.5 and 36 MW, located in Gatun and near Miraflores.
  
  

  History of the construction of the Panama Canal.

  The idea of ​​​​building a canal was first mentioned in the 16th century, and the history of its approval and construction was accompanied by political and economic confrontations in countries such as the USA, Spain, Great Britain, and France. Now they are going to dig a similar canal through Nicaragua: the project was adopted relatively recently - in 2014.
  In 1879 the developer Suez Canal, French diplomat Ferdinand de Lesseps, began a campaign to build the Panama Canal. As a result, the French arrived in Panama in 1881 and began excavation work in 1882. Thus, 1882 can be considered the beginning of the construction of the canal.
  
  

  The original plan was to build a canal 22 meters wide and 9 meters deep. Interestingly, the project did not include a lock system: the canal was supposed to naturally connect two oceans to the same sea level, which meant cutting off the isthmus and deep excavations. In addition to engineering difficulties, construction was complicated by the yellow fever epidemic, the financial crisis, and a legal scandal in which many politicians, including Ferdinand, were accused of accepting bribes.
  As a result, the project was bought by the Americans, who made the key decision to use a lock system to reduce excavation work. Over seven years, 153 million cubic meters of earth were excavated in dry mining. The work also included drilling and blasting rocks.
  To increase the depth of the canal, various techniques were used, including ships. This vessel was specially built in Scotland and began work in 1912. A chain with 52 buckets made it possible to excavate more than 1,000 tons of material in less than 40 minutes.
  
  

  On October 10, 1913, US President Wilson ordered by telegraph to blow up the remaining small part of the land that separated the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The first ship to pass through the canal while still in operation was the floating crane Alexandre Le Valle. This happened in January 1914. In August of the same year, its path was repeated by the cargo and passenger ship Cristobal. The official opening of the canal is considered to be August 15, 1914 and the passage of the cargo ship Ancon.
  
  

  How to visit the Panama Canal.

  Few people know that the passage of ships through the Panama Canal can be seen in several places: in Colon (Gatun Gate) and near Panama City (Miraflores Gate). Gatun has the advantage of being cheap to visit and lacking crowds of tourists. On the other hand, these advantages are completely outweighed by the disadvantages. Colon is one of the most dangerous cities in Panama. We are often skeptical about horror stories from Lonely Planet, where it is also written that you should not go to Colon, so at first we planned to visit it. However, after talking with the locals, we abandoned this idea. Colon turned out to be really dangerous, and we were told that even at the station there was a possibility of robbery. “It depends,” summed up one of our random local fellow travelers.
  If you have plenty of time in Panama, you can take a boat trip through the canal. There are commercial offers, but you can also become a volunteer on a yacht waiting in line. There are special sites where yacht owners look for a crew. According to Panamanian law, any ship must have four mooring crew, and their services are not cheap - from $50, so captains and owners are looking for adventure seekers. You can google Panama canal transit line handlers or look at the website http://www.panlinehandler.com/. We even had the option of couchsurfing on such a yacht, but, unfortunately, it didn’t suit the dates at all.
  
  

  There is also the opportunity to ride a special train along the canal. It’s hard for us to say what you can see from him there to pay pretty decent money.
  
  

  In the end, we went, like most, to Miraflores. You can get there from Albrook station, which is probably familiar to tourists arriving in Panama City on their own. The bus to Miraflores leaves every hour at 00 (exit F), and, lo and behold, the sign says Miraflores (usually logistics in Panama are not so simple). The bus takes you all the way to the Miraflores complex; entrance tickets cost $15 for non-residents and $10 for children.
  
  

  Despite the technical possibility of simultaneous servicing of ships in two directions, in the morning the ships go towards the Caribbean Sea (Atlantic), and in the afternoon back towards the Pacific Ocean. The channel is recommended for visiting from 9.00 to 11.00 and then after 13.00. We were late for the first period due to problems with breakfast at the hotel. We managed to pass the time a little by visiting the museum and watching a short film about the construction of the Panama Canal. The session in English starts every hour at 50, in Spanish – at 20 minutes.
  The museum complex includes a souvenir shop, as well as a museum with an exhibition, where the most interesting was the video of the passage of the canal from the captain's wheelhouse.
  
  

  Despite all this entertainment, we had to wait about three more hours for the ships to pass. Meanwhile, local personnel, using loudspeakers, told some facts about the canal, and also informed about the probable time of arrival of the ship. In general, at first it was interesting to listen to, and people with a bullhorn said that it was not the season, but then this record began to really tire and irritate. In our case, the movement was supposed to start at two o’clock, but in fact it happened even later – at three.
  
  

  There are several opportunities to watch ships. Firstly, there is a large deck on the 4th floor. From there we watched as pleasure boats with tourists who paid $150 per ticket passed the canal from the middle.
  
  

  On the second floor there is a small amphitheater with stadium-style seating. We had to wait another three hours, so we landed there. True, we were tormented by doubts whether everyone would sit so decorously during the passage of the ships. The center workers assured that this would be the case. Naive... Closer to three people kept coming and coming, and just stood near the fence.
  
  

  Just before their arrival, workers with a bullhorn tried to reason with the people, but after unsuccessful attempts they quickly retreated. We deliberately took places on the edge so that in case of emergency we would have a view towards the approaching ships. But the smartest spectators stood on the steps and could not be moved. So every now and then I had to get up to take a photo or even go downstairs and brazenly squeeze through.
  
  

  Maybe, the best option For observations, it is worth recognizing the cafe on the third floor. But we don’t know how to book a table and wait, and what the general policy is in this regard.
  And then everyone perked up. In the speakers, we heard about the approaching ship. Everyone started clicking their cameras despite the fact that the ship still had a long way to go.
  
  

  The passage of the ship is certainly interesting and fascinating. The ship enters the lock chamber and stops, after which the first gate closes behind it.
  
  

  Then the water is pumped out of the chamber, and the ship quietly sinks with it. From the photographs you can see for yourself the initial and final results. As we have already written, the total drop at this gate is 16.5 meters.
  
  

  When the water level in the two chambers becomes the same, the gate in front of the ship opens and it moves into the next chamber. Locomotives or “mules”, as they are called here, help the ship move inside the canal.
  
  

  The last gate the ship passes far enough from observation deck, according to the same scenario as the previous gate, so almost no one paid attention to this.
  
  

  Thus, we were able to see how the three ships sailed. It was impressive. We spent almost a day here and got a little tired from the heat, the waiting, the people who couldn't sit still, but it was still worth it. We went to Panama Bay to have dinner by the ocean, and along the way we even managed to overtake a ship we were already familiar with.
  
  

  The idea of ​​connecting the two oceans with an artificially dug canal arose back in the 16th century. from the Spanish conquistadors. However, the Spanish king Philip II spoke out against this idea. And 300 years passed before they started talking about the canal again. Ferdinand de Lesseps, inspired by the successful construction of the Suez Canal, planned to connect the Pacific and atlantic oceans. In 1881 he began work, but this time he was destined to fail. The ambitious project had to be abandoned just seven years after it began. The consortium created for the construction suffered financial failure.

  In 1902, people who bought what was left of the consortium's farm resold it to the United States for $40 million. At that time, Panama was still under Colombian jurisdiction. This prevented the Americans from simply showing up and starting digging their own canal. President Theodore Roosevelt supported the Panamanian independence fighters and led them to victory. By 1903, Panama had become an independent sovereign state and work could resume. The first ship passed through the new Panama Canal on August 15, 1914. According to the treaty between Panama and the United States, the Panama Canal was to remain the property of the United States “forever.”

  Approximately 80 km long, the Panama Canal passes through the city of Colon on the Atlantic coast and the artificial Lake Gatun on the Pacific coast. Thanks to the canal, the sea route from San Francisco to New York, instead of 26,000 km, became only 10,000 km. The water level in the Atlantic is only 24 cm lower than in the Pacific Ocean. However, due to the uneven mountainous landscape, ships have to pass through 3 locks on their way to rise 26 m to the level of Lake Gatun. The channel is wide enough for ships to move towards each other with virtually no delays. The size of the locks limits the size of ships that can pass through the canal, and these numbers are known to mariners as "Panamax". Ships must be no more than 294 m in length and 32 m in width to qualify as a Panamax vessel. They must also have a draft of no more than 12 m.

  Since the Panama Canal opened in 1914, more than a million ships have been recorded passing through it - 14,000 of them in 2005 alone. The owners of the Panama Canal receive payment for all ships passing through it. When the United States ceded control of the canal to the Panamanian government in 2000, the responsibility for maintaining it fell on the shoulders of the Panamanian government. Fees, depending on the size of the vessel and the weight of its cargo, average up to $2 billion per year. However, it is no longer a secret that the canal’s capacity does not satisfy the demands of modern shipping. Not only has the number of ships sailing from the States to Asia and back increased, their sizes have also increased. The dimensions of the ships, the so-called post-Panamanian class, do not allow them to pass through the canal. Therefore, it is planned to modernize the canal by 2014.

  Dates

  • 1881: A French consortium begins construction of the canal.
  • 1902: The remaining French assets were purchased by the United States for $40 million.
  • 1903: Panama gains independence and construction work resumes.
  • August 15, 1914: The canal is opened to navigation.
  • 1920-1999: The channel is owned by the United States.
  • January 1, 2000: US cedes title to Panama. DATA
  • Length: The length of the canal is 80 km, with locks.
  • Traffic density: Since 1914 About a million ships have been recorded passing through the canal. The average annual gate fee is $2 billion. Up to 45 ships pass through the canal every day.

  The picture is clickable

  When ships sailed from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean via Cape Horn, on the farthest edge of South America, they had to make a detour of 7,800 miles. Therefore, the Panama Canal was dug across the Darya Isthmus, at great expense. Work on its construction lasted from 1881 to 1914.

  The canal crossed the American continent at its narrowest point approximately halfway between its southern and northern parts and allowed ships to pass from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean. The canal uses a system of locks, or lock chambers, that alternately fill with water and drain to allow ships to ascend and cross the mountainous isthmus. For this purpose, electric locomotives are also used, which, using bow and stern lines, pull ships through each gate.

  

  The tanker enters the Panama Canal, where two-way traffic is organized.

  

  The canal's lock chambers have 50-foot-thick concrete walls and massive V-shaped double-leaf gates. Water enters and is pumped out of the chamber through a system of pipes and valves. When the water level in one gate is equal to the water level in the other, the steel gates open and the ship moves from chamber to chamber.

  Saving distance

  

  Reduction of 7800 miles. The 51-mile canal starts from the Caribbean Sea and crosses Panama in a southeasterly direction.

  Lock chambers of Lake Gatun

  

  If a ship is heading to the Pacific Ocean, then from the Caribbean Sea it must rise through the three lock chambers of the Panama Canal into Lake Gatun. Before this, pumps sequentially fill each of the three chambers, 1,000 feet long and 110 feet wide, with water. Before entering the Pedro Miguel and Miraflores gates, the entire process will be repeated, but in reverse order. And then the ship will again be at sea level.