100 Years

In The canal opened its gates to the world maritime trade 15 August 1914 This shortened the distances to commercial shipping and became a vital route for the economies of exporting powers like the United States, China, Japan and Korea South, also in Chile, Latin America's largest user. It is estimated that the route passes the 5 percent of world maritime trade.reaching its centenary, the Panama Canal is undergoing the largest project since its inception: the expansion by building a third lane of locks. 

After six years of study and approved by a national referendum in October 2006, the expansion work began on September 3, 2007. 

The project consists of two new sets of locks that will add a third lane to allow the transit of vessels with higher freight volumes, doubling the capacity of the waterway to meet growing demand in world trade and strengthening the role of Panama as a center logistics and transport in the region.