that carry the world's cargo. By one recent estimate, nearly 40% of the today's container ships are "Post-Panamax"-too large to fir through the Canal. To stay relevant to rwenry-first-century shipping, the Canal needed to be able to handle larger vessels. The plan adopted was to create a new set of locks and entrance ways for ships that increased the length of the locks from 1,050 feet to 1400 feet, the width from 110 feet to 180 feet, and depth from 40 feet to 60 feet. This will enable the passage of ships more than 200 feet longer and 50 feet wider than current limits-doubling the tonnage that can traverse the Canal. The cost of new larger locks and deeper waterways is in excess of$ 5 billion. Work began in 2009 and is now (after some recent delays related to funding) sch eduled for completion in 2015.
(above right) Pyramids and terraced banks along the Gaillard Cut. (right) Panamax ships transiting the Miraflores Locks. (below) At 108.2 feet wide, the Iowa-class battleships were designed so that they could fit through the 110-Joot-wide locks of the Panama Canal. USS Missouri squeaks through, in 1945. (bottom right) With a beam of 183 feet, the Post-Panamax container ship Emma Maersk will not fit in the new Panama Canal locks (maximum width 180 feet), which are expected to open to shipping in 2015.
SEA HISTORY 148, AUTUMN 2014
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