Section of New Panama Canal Lock Completed

The Panama Canal Authority announced the completion of the first section of a new lock wall as part of its $5 billion expansion project that is intended to double the waterway’s freight-handling capacity.

New locks are being built at the Pacific Ocean side of the Canal, where the lock wall section was put in place. The June 19 announcement said the concrete and steel structure was more than 110 feet high, 25 feet wide and 90 feet deep.

The new structure is one of 46 that will be installed on the Pacific side. The project also includes improvements on the Atlantic Ocean side, as well as intermediate locations on the 52-mile waterway.