Panama Canal hosts open forum to discuss future services of expanded waterway

On March 3, 2016 , the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) hosted an Open Forum, giving shipping line representatives and steamship agents the opportunity to discuss the Panama Canal's services once the expanded waterway begins operations. The Forum, titled "Exchange of Perspectives and Innovative Ideas to Improve Services for Future Challenges," included discussions about how the Canal can contribute to the development of Panama's logistics hub, among other topics.

Executive Vice President of Operations Esteban G. Saenz then presented an update on the Panama Canal Expansion's progress, which is currently more than 96 percent complete. He discussed the many ongoing Canal initiatives taking place in order to prepare to safely and efficiently transit through the expanded waterway, such as continued training, transits without the use of locomotives in the existing locks and operating procedures for the safe transit of LNG vessels.

In addition to the Open Forum, attendees participated in a site visit to the new Scale Model Maneuvering Training Facility. The new facility features docking bays, model tug boats, and replicas of the new and existing locks, gates and chambers-all at a 1:25 scale. This facility will provide additional hands-on experience to pilots and tugboat captains to operate in the Expanded Panama Canal, which Forum participants were able to witness first hand.

About the Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is run by an autonomous agency of the Government of Panama in charge of managing, operating and maintaining the Panama Canal. The operation of the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is based on its organic law and the regulations approved by its Board of Directors.