The Panama Canal Authority has carried out scheduled maintenance on a chamber of the Pedro Miguel Locks as part of its ongoing infrastructure programme.
Maintenance teams initiated “dry chamber” work on 27 May by fully draining one chamber of the Pedro Miguel Locks.
The operation concluded successfully on 31 May. Throughout the intervention, the east lane remained in service, ensuring continuous vessel transit.
The scope of work included both preventive and corrective measures: replacement of apex and lower omega-type seals, hinge repairs due to wear on wall and gate plates (concave and convex), ball joint inspection, and adjustments to the upper gate anchorage system, known as the “yoke.”
The Panama Canal Authority mobilised a workforce of 300 personnel, distributed across two shifts of 150 each.
Following six months of planning, the team executed the maintenance operation within a five-day timeframe.
The Panama Canal Authority also conducts regular maintenance as part of its comprehensive program, covering the Neopanamax locks; the dams and spillways at Gatun, Madden, and Miraflores; transmission and power generation systems; major civil infrastructure such as the Atlantic Bridge; and both floating and land-based equipment, including navigation channel assets.
Boris Moreno, Vice President for Panama Canal Operations, said: “This is a Canal with more than 110 years of history, and as part of our commitment to safe and efficient operations, we carried out essential preventive maintenance on the Panamax locks.
“This work took on even greater significance as we commemorated the Canal’s 25th anniversary under Panamanian administration, reflecting our continued responsibility to the country and global trade.”
Miguel Lorenzo, Vice President for Infrastructure and Engineering, stated: “Maintenance is part of our culture and a pillar of our competitiveness. For this reason, the canal invests more than B/. 500 million ($501 million) annually in the maintenance of its infrastructure assets, equipment, fleets, and facilities.”
Last month, the Panama Canal conducted a fire drill aboard a tanker vessel to test the response capabilities and protocols of its units in the event of an emergency.