Talk:Panama Canal

Coordinate error

{{geodata-check}} The coordinates need the following fixes:

Also Cucaracha Reach moves you away from the Panama Canal, and up to Cancún in Mexico ...! 212.96.25.114 (talk) 16:46, 13 November 2009 (UTC)

Coordinates in article are okay. BrainMarble (talk) 21:21, 23 November 2009 (UTC)

Updates from the Panama Canal Authority

Hi, I’m Mari and I’m with the International Communications Department at the Panama Canal Authority (ACP). I am here to assist with any information requests, proposals or factual clarifications specific to the Panama Canal that I can help resolve. I recently noticed some errors and outdated information in the article that require edits and included those below for consideration.

Panama Canal

1st paragraph, final sentence needs to be deleted and replaced with:

“In fiscal year 2009, 14,342 vessels passed through the waterway with a total 299.1 million Panama Canal/Universal Measurement System (PC/UMS) tons.”

Source: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/pr/press-releases/2009/10/30/pr366.html

Later Efforts

3rd paragraph, first half regarding Philippe Bunau-Varilla needs to be deleted and replaced with:

“The Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty was negotiated by John Hay and the new republic’s “Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary” Philippe Bunau-Varilla. The new treaty was sent to Panama for ratification. The founders of Panama had little choice but to accede, as to refuse would have withdrawn all U.S. support from the fledgling republic and further dealings with Colombia. It was this arrangement that gave the United States the control it needed in this vastly underdeveloped country to get the monumental job of canal construction done. The Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty was ratified in Panama on December 2, 1903, and in the United States on February 23, 1904; the U.S. also gave Panama a payment of $10 million upon ratification.”

Source: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/history/index.html

Layout

5th bullet point regarding the measurement of the Gaillard (Culebra) Cut needs to be corrected:

“The Culebra Cut is 13.7 kilometers long and extends from Gatun Lake to the Pedro Miguel Locks through the Continental Divide, at an altitude of 26 meters.”

Source: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/general/asi-es-el-canal.html

Tolls

2nd and 3rd paragraphs need to be deleted and updated with Fiscal Year 2009 information:

“For container ships, the toll is assessed per the ship’s capacity as expressed in twenty-foot equivalent units or TEUs. One TEU is the size of a container measuring 20 feet (6m) by 8 feet (2m) by 8.5 feet (2.6m). Effective May 1, 2009, this toll is US$72 per TEU. The toll is calculated differently for passenger ships and for container ships carrying no cargo (“in ballast”). A Panamax container ship may carry up to 4,400 TEUs.”

“As of fiscal year 2009, the toll per PC/UMS ton for the first 10,000 tons is US$3.90; per ton for the next 10,000 tons is US$3.82; and per ton thereafter is US$3.76. As with container ships, a reduced toll is charged for freight ships in ballast. In the case of vessels charged tolls based on their displacement, the Canal will assess tolls based on the maximum displacement instead of the arrival displacement. Small vessels up to 583 PC/UMS net tons when carrying passengers or cargo, or up to 735 PC/UMS tons when in ballast, or up to 1,048 fully loaded displacement tons, shall be assessed minimum tolls based on their length overall (according to the table).”

Source: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/maritime/tariff/1010-0000.pdf

Final sentence needs the following addition:

“In the case of passenger vessels, the ACP will assess tolls based on the maximum passenger capacity in accordance with the International Tonnage Certificate 69, or the vessel’s passenger ship safety certificate; vessels over 30,000 gross tons and whose PC/UMS ÷ maximum passenger capacity ratio is equal to or less than 33 will be charged on a per berth basis.”

Source: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/maritime/tariff/1010-0000.pdf

The following paragraphs need to be added:

“Temporary Measures Designed to Help Canal Customers During Economic Crisis

Designed to help mitigate the impact of the economic crisis on the Canal's clients, the ACP implemented temporary measures that provide short-term cost reduction and greater flexibility to its Reservation System. The program was the result of consultations with customers and was introduced June 1, 2009 with an initial end-date of September 30. Upon request of its customers and the Round Table of International Shipping Associations, the ACP has agreed to extend the program until April 30, 2010.

The two primary components of the temporary measures are:

A redefinition of ballast (ships without passengers and cargo) for full container vessels transiting the Canal: the temporary redefinition of the ballast concept for full container vessels allows a ship that carries 30 percent or less of its capacity to be charged the ballast rate of $57.60 per TEU, $14.40 less than the $72 laden (ships with cargo) rate.

Modifications to the Reservation System to increase flexibility and reduce fees. As an example, the base reservation price for a super vessel, with a beam greater than or equal to 100 feet and a length greater than or equal to 900 feet, is $5,000 less per transit than the rate that was in effect last May.”

Source: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/pr/press-releases/2009/04/30/pr329.html

Efficiency and Maintenance

1st paragraph, last sentence regarding CWT needs to be updated:

“According to the ACP, CWT decreased 26.9 percent – from 31.55 to 23.06 hours in fiscal year 2009. This decline in CWT can be attributed to the ACP’s safe, reliable and efficient Canal operations.”

Source: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/pr/press-releases/2009/10/30/pr366.html

2nd paragraph needs to be deleted and replaced with:

“The official accident rate rose slightly from 1.09 accidents per 1,000 transits in FY 2008 to 1.53 accidents per 1,000 transits this fiscal year. An official accident is one in which a formal investigation is requested and conducted.”

Source: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/pr/press-releases/2009/10/30/pr366.html

3rd paragraph, 2nd, 3rd and 4th sentences need to be deleted and replaced with:

“Year-end (October 2008 – September 2009) statistics show a slight decline in total transits and tonnage compared to FY 2008. Total Canal transits experienced a marginal decline of 2.4 percent – from 14,702 to 14,342 transits. Panama Canal/Universal Measurement System (PC/UMS) tonnage decreased 3.4 percent – from 309.6 million PC/UMS tons to 299.1 million PC/UMS tons.”

Source: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/pr/press-releases/2009/10/30/pr366.html

4th paragraph needs to be deleted and replaced with:

“Recent modernizations of the existing Canal, valued at US$320 million, include an improved lighting system in the Canal's locks; a new track and turntable system; the acquisition of five new tugboats; an additional tie-up station; and, the replacement and reconstruction of the ACP's launch fleet. According to the ACP, these latest improvements allow two additional transits per day and enhance the safety, reliability and efficiency of the Canal.”

Source: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/pr/press-releases/2009/05/29/pr335.html

Capacity

1st paragraph, 2nd sentence should end with:

“…as noted above, Canal traffic in 2009 consisted of 299.1 million tons of shipping.”

Source: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/pr/press-releases/2009/10/30/pr366.html

The last sentence of the 2nd paragraph should be deleted and replaced with:

“Expansion will build a new lane of traffic along the Panama Canal through the construction of a new set of locks, which will double tonnage capacity and allow the transit of much longer, wider ships.”

Source: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/expansion/informes-de-avance/brochure-eng.pdf

Third set of locks project

4th paragraph, 2nd sentence needs to be updated:

“The project is designated to allow for the anticipated growth in traffic from 299.1 million

PC/UMS tons in 2009 to nearly 510 million PC/UMS tons in 2025…”

Source: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/expansion/informes-de-avance/brochure-eng.pdf

Final paragraph, 3rd sentence needs to be updated:

“…trench connecting the Gaillard Cut with the Pacific coast, removing…”

Source: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/expansion/informes-de-avance/brochure-eng.pdf

Building the new Canal

First paragraph needs to be deleted and replaced with:

“The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) announced July 15, 2009 that Consortium Grupo Unidos por el Canal will design and build the waterway's new set of locks, the most anticipated project of the Panama Canal Expansion Program.

Grupo Unidos por el Canal, composed of Sacyr Vallehermoso S.A., Impregilo S.p.A., Jan De Nul n.v. and Constructora Urbana, S.A., was one of three world-renowned consortia vying for the largest and most important contract under the Canal's expansion.

The ACP revealed that Grupo Unidos por el Canal submitted the "best value" proposal for the new set of locks contract during a public event held Wednesday, July 8. The event, broadcast live on Panamanian television and the ACP Web site, was attended by Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli and many high-ranking government officials. Consortium Grupo Unidos por el Canal garnered the highest total points for its combined technical and price scores.

The base price of US $3,118,880,001.00 submitted by Grupo Unidos por el Canal did not exceed the ACP's owner's allocated price of US $3,481,000,000.00.

Following the "best value" determination, the Price Verification Board, an independent group of ACP employees not involved with the Technical Evaluation Board, ensured that the consortium's price proposal complied with the established requirements of the ACP. In addition, the ACP Contracting Officer confirmed the contractor's qualifications pursuant to the established ACP contracting regulations.

The ACP signed the contract for construction of the third set of locks with Grupo Unidos por el Canal. ACP Executive Manager and Locks Project Management Division and Contracting Officer Jorge de la Guardia issued the Notice to Commence and work officially began August 25, 2009. The canal authority signed the contract after receiving a $400 million performance bond and $50 million payment bond Aug. 11.”

Source: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/pr/press-releases/2009/07/15/pr343.html —Preceding unsigned comment added by MBPanamaCanalAuthority (talk • contribs) 21:17, 16 December 2009 (UTC)

Later Efforts

I might be reading this wrong, but twice in the span of a couple sentences, it reads that the canal opened in 1954, two years before 1916. I am unfamiliar with most of this history, so would someone want to clean up and correct that? Kjscotte34 (talk) 16:49, 24 December 2009 (UTC)

Done. Mark Shaw (talk) 19:47, 24 December 2009 (UTC)

Financial figures

What are the Authority's revenues? Profit? -- Beland (talk) 00:05, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

2010 closure due to rainfall and flooding

Re this edit: my summary got cut off. What I'd intended to write on point #2 was that the only part of the Centenario Bridge that has collapsed is an on-ramp. The bridge itself is apparently still sound. Mark Shaw (talk) 02:06, 13 December 2010 (UTC)

OK; I amended the wording appropriately. Feel free to refine the wording further... bobrayner (talk) 02:59, 13 December 2010 (UTC)

Looks good to me. I might do some copyediting at some point but otherwise it's fine. Mark Shaw (talk) 04:12, 14 December 2010 (UTC)

Gatun Lake Fishing trivia

This section goes off on a strange tangent about the wonders of bass fishing in the lake that has nothing to do with the canal as a work of transportation engineering. Shouldn't this anglers information be reduced to a single sentence? The fishing facts are already covered in the Gatun Lake article. Letterofmarque (talk) 16:03, 27 March 2011 (UTC)

it took 10 years to built the canal. thedore roosvelt built well actully his workers that were french they gave up later. it was a lot of miles. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.167.101.53 (talk) 22:33, 7 May 2011 (UTC)