- Address: Panama Canal, Panama
- Year of foundation: 1920
Each of us knows about the Panama Canal that connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, which allows transport companies to save a huge amount of time and money. But even the simplest channel is not just an excavated ditch between reservoirs, but a sophisticated technical locks system. Let's try to understand this question.
Structure of the Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a combination of locks, a man-made navigable channel created at the narrowest point of the Isthmus of Panama in Central America. Since its opening in 1920, the Panama Canal still remains one of the most complex engineering facilities in the world.
Through this S-shaped isthmus can pass a vessel of any type and size: from a modest yacht to a large bulk tanker. Currently, the bandwidth of the channel has become the standard of the structure of ships. As a result, thanks to the locks of the Panama Canal, up to 48 ships pass through it a day, and millions of people in the world enjoy this comfort.
So why do we need locks in the Panama Canal? The question is geographic, and the answer to it is obvious: since the canal consists of several lakes, deepened rivers and man-made canals, and at the same time connects two huge oceans, it is necessary to constantly equalize the water difference throughout the entire route and regulate the currents. And the water level difference between the canal and the World Ocean is high - 25.9 m. Depending on the size and tonnage of the vessel, the water level in the airlock is increased or lowered, thereby creating the necessary conditions for unimpeded passage of the vessel through the channel.
Features of the Panama Canal locks
Two groups of gateways function in the canal. Each gateway is a two-thread gateway, i.e. can simultaneously ship vessels on the oncoming traffic. Although the practice shows that there is usually a passage of vessels in one direction. Each airlock chamber accommodates a maximum of 101 thousand cubic meters. m. of water. The dimensions of the chambers are: width 33.53 m, length 304.8 m, minimum depth - 12.55 m. Large vessels through locks pull special electric locomotives ("mules"). So, the main gateways of the Panama Canal are:
- In the direction from the Atlantic Ocean, a three-chamber sluice "Gatun" (Gatun) is installed, connecting the lake of the same name with the Lemon Bay. Here the locks lift the ships 26 m to the level of the lake. On the gateway there is a camera, the image of which you can watch in real time on the Internet.
- From the side of the Pacific Ocean operates a two-chamber gateway "Miraflores" (Miraflores). It connects the channel of the main canal to the Panama Bay. His first gateway also has a video camera.
- Single-chamber gateway "Pedro Miguel" (Pedro Miguel) functions in conjunction with the Miraflores lock system.
- Since 2007, work is underway to expand the channel and install additional gateways to increase the capacity of the Panama Canal (third thread). New parameters of the third thread: length 427 m, width 55 m, depth 18.3 meters. Also, work is underway to expand and deepen the main fairway in order to still carry out a counter-movement of vessels. It is assumed that from 2017 the channel will be able to carry out a double load.
How to look at the Panama Canal locks?
Along the whole canal there is a motorway and a railroad canal. You can independently and free of charge follow any vessel and get acquainted with the system of the channel from afar. You can also buy a tour with the same purpose.
The Miraflores gateway is considered accessible for tourists. You can get there by taxi or buy a bus ticket for 25 cents, and as a part of the group go as close to the lock as possible to get acquainted with his work. The excursion includes a visit to the museum ($ 10) and access to the observation deck, where in real time the loudspeaker is informed about the operation of the gateway.
Of course, the brightest impressions you get, passing through the Panama Canal on a cruise ship.
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