The Panama Canal’s contracted vessel has transited the new Atlantic-facing Agua Clara Locks. These transits, performed by the Neopanamax dry bulk carrier MN Baroque, are part of a series of a long-planned training events occurring in the run-up to the Expanded Canal’s June 26 Inauguration.
The vessel has a length of 255 metres and a beam of 43 metres, and was contracted by the Panama Canal to perform multiple lockages through the expanded locks for testing and training purposes. They are taking place in parallel to training being conducted at the Canal’s training facilities: the Center for Simulation, Research and Maritime Development (Sidmar) and the Scale Model Manoeuvring Training Facility.
Once inaugurated on Sunday 26 June, the Expanded Canal will double the waterway’s cargo capacity. The new waterway will provide greater economies of scale to global commerce as Neopanamax will be able to transit through due to expansion.
Cosco Shipping Panama
The container vessel Cosco Shipping Panama set sail from the Greek Port of Piraeus on Saturday 11 June on its way to Panama to make history. The Neopanamax vessel will make the inaugural transit of the Expanded Panama Canal on 26 June, after a fourteen-day journey.
Cosco Shipping Panama is a new vessel constructed and launched on January 2016. The Neopanamax containership is 299.98 metres long and 48.25 metres wide, and has a container carrying capacity of 9472 teus. Originally named Andronikos, the vessel was renamed by China Cosco Shipping to pay respect to the people of Panama and for the honor of the inaugural transit. This ship was selected during a draw for the inaugural transit through the expanded waterway.
Coincidentally, the ship was built in Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries Co., Ltd, the same company that constructed the valves that control the flow of water through the new locks of the Canal.
Pictures by the Panama Canal Authority.
