A New Experience - Transits Through Expanded Panama Canal

the expansion of the Panama Canal consists of the construction of two new set of locks the deepening and widening of the existing channels and the excavation of a new navigational access channel connecting the new set of locks on the Pacific side and the Culebra cut the new set of locks on the Pacific side is named Coco Lee Long's and the new set on the Atlantic side is named our cleaner locks the chambers of these new locks have four hundred and twenty-seven metres of usable length when both guarding gates are closed with a width of 55 meters and a depth of 18 point 3 meters these new dimensions will initially allow the transit of vessels of up to three hundred and sixty-six meters in length 49 meters in beam and a maximum draught of 15 metres in tropical freshwater with a line of vertical fenders every 15 point 2 meters and they're illuminated by high mass lighting lamps which allow a safe passage through the locks at night each locked chamber will have three water saving basins which will enable using seven percent less water than the existing lock system reusing 60% of the water required for each transit each water saving Basin is approximately 70 metres wide by five point five meters deep vessels that comply with these maximum dimensions on the new locks but exceed the dimensions permitted in old locks are known as menial Panamax vessels after the Panama Canal expansion is completed the waterway will face new challenges in transit operations and procedures two major issues that will require adjustments from previous transit operations are the handling of vessels of greater dimensions and displacement and the implementation of a new vessel positioning procedure inside the locks the luggage operations of vessels through the new locks will differ from current Locka chopper ations in that the vessels were not use locomotives to assist them inside the chambers vessels will be maneuvered using their engines and rudders including the assistance of tugboats and will be secured inside the lock chambers by means of the ship's lines the winches will be operated by the ship's crew this lockets procedure will be very similar to the procedure used at the bed indirect and sandy it locks in the Port of Antwerp Belgium for a better understanding of the transit procedure we will now take you on an imaginary transit onboard a neo Panamax vessel heading south from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through the new locks of the Panama Canal nasty vessel approaches Panama Canal waters the captain contacts Cristobal signal station who provides information regarding breakwater traffic and the estimated time that the vessel will need to arrive at the entrance of the Cristobal breakwater where he will receive the Panama Canal pilot the boarding officer and all other inspectors having business aboard the vessel inspectors that may be conducting inspections onboard the vessel are the transit vessel inspector the industrial hygienist the sanitary inspector and the canal port captain the purpose of these inspections is to verify that requirements are met in order to guarantee a safe transit for the vessel and all the persons involved the master will be required to provide documentation in order to receive approval for transits the documentation required for transit is published and operations notice to shipping and one 2015 vessel requirements which is available online at the Panama Canal website some of the documents required are the International tonnage certificate ITC 69 PC ums documentation of total volume or suitable substitute load line certificate ship classification and minimum crew and fitness certificates among others listed in open notice to shipping n1 2015 after these inspections are completed and the required documentation is provided the Panama Canal pilot proceeds to take the vessel on its southbound transit through the Panama Canal the transit begins after the vessel passes the Atlantic breakwater and enters the Atlantic entrance channel by using its engines and rudder upon boarding the vessel the Panama Canal pilot contacts marine traffic control who provides him with updated information on the transit of the vessel and is also contacted by the first assisting tugboat at buoy one Cristobal known as the mole buoy the vessel receives the second assisting tugboat the tugs will be secured to the vessels bow and stern and will assist the vessel throughout the navigational channel leading to the logs and through the entire transit of the locks while the vessel navigates on its way to our catalogues the Neo Panamax locks in the Atlantic side it is boarded in the vicinity of we5 by the Panama Canal line handlers who prepare and verify the conditions and availability of the equipment required for the luggage such as lines capstans chalks bits ship's crew among others upon arrival to buoy seven in the Atlantic channel north of the Cristobal basin the second Panama Canal pilot boards the vessel it is here that the vessel also receives the third and fourth tugboats that will assist her through the arrival and entrance maneuver to the locks with the use of the engines and rudder and the assistance of the four tugboats the vessel arrives to the approach structure of alwa Clara locks and went properly aligned it begins the entrance to the lower chamber of the locks as the vessel enters a chamber the third and fourth tugboats are released keeping only the tugboats ahead on the bow and aft on the stern which continue to assist the vessel as it completes the entrance to the chamber and throughout its transit through the logs when the vessel is in the desired position inside the lock chamber the Panama Canal line handlers with the support of the ship's crew secure the vessel with the use of four lines that will be sent out from the vessel a headline and spring line forward and a stern line and a spring line aft the vessel is secured to the locks center wall which is the wall opposite to the water saving basins the lines will be received by the locks mooring personnel who will secure them to the bollards destined for this purpose all along the wall of the chamber once the vessel is secured to the wall and the gates behind are closed the filling of the chamber begins once the chamber is filled the lock gates ahead of the vessel open to allow access to the middle chamber after the lock gates are fully open and the lines are casted off the vessel will move into the middle chamber by using its engines and rudder and the assistance of the tugboats once the vessel is inside the middle chamber the process of mooring the vessel to the loft wall is repeated and the process is again repeated in the upper chamber after the vessel exits the upper chamber departing the Aguaclara locks the first and second tugboats are released and a line handlers disembark the vessel will continue to navigate gatun lake under its own propulsion at buoy 89 in Gamboa reach the vessel receives the first tugboat which is secured on the stern of the vessel and assists the vessels navigation through Culebra cut ad gold hill in cucaracha reach the vessel receives the second tugboat these two tugboats will assist the vessel throughout the entire lock edge of the Cucuy locks at the same time the Panama Canal line handlers board the vessel and verify the conditions and availability of the equipment required for the luggage such as Lines capstans chalks bits ship's crew among others upon entering the new Northern Pacific access channel the vessel receives the third and fourth tugboats to assist in the process of arriving and entering the locks with the use of rudder and engines and the assistance of the four tugboats the vessel arrives to the approach structure of Coco Lee locks and when properly aligned it begins the entrance to the upper chamber as the vessel enters the chamber the third and fourth tugboats are released keeping only the tugboats ahead on the bow and aft on the stern which will continue to assist the vessel as it completes its entrance into the chamber and through the locks when the vessel is in the desired position inside the lock chamber the Panama Canal line handlers with the support of the ship's crew secure the vessel to the center wall with the use of four lines that will be sent out from the vessel the lines will be received by the locks boring personnel who will secure them to the bollards on the wall once the vessel is secured to the wall and the gates behind are closed the emptying of the chamber begins as soon as the water level for the next chamber is reached the lock gates ahead of the vessel open to allow access to the middle chamber once the lock gates are completely open and the lines are cast off the vessel begins to move to the next chamber in this case the middle chamber using engines and rudder and the support of the tugboats when the vessel is in position in the middle chamber the process of mooring and moving will be repeated and repeated once more when in the lower chamber as soon as the vessel exits Coakley locks the second tugboat which is made up on the bow is released while proceeding down balboa reach the first tugboat which is made up on the stern is released and the first pilot and the acp line handlers disembark once the vessel arrives to buoy one Pacific the second Panama Canal pilot disembarks and the vessel continues out to sea and through its final destination

Channel: The Panama Canal

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Keywords: canal de panamá, panamá, panama, panama canal

Id: DrQrKAku3e0

Length: 11min 1sec (661 seconds)

Published: Wed Mar 09 2016