How did the 2016 expansion change the Panama Canal?

The 2016 expansion of the Panama Canal, known as the Third Set of Locks Project, significantly transformed the waterway's capacity and operational capabilities.1

Key changes included:

• Increased Capacity: The project doubled the canal's capacity by adding two new sets of three-step locks at either end of the canal.1
• Accommodating Larger Ships: The expansion allows for the passage of "neo-Panamax" vessels, which can carry up to 13,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units).1
• Infrastructure Upgrades: Navigational channels in Gatún Lake were widened to 920 feet in straight sections and 1,200 feet at turning points. Additionally, sea-entrance channels were widened and deepened.1
• Water Management: The project raised the maximum operating level of Gatún Lake and introduced massive water-saving basins. These basins, the largest in the world, allow for a 60 percent reuse of water, making the new locks more efficient than the original ones.12

These improvements were designed to facilitate global shipping patterns and accommodate a new generation of supersized vessels that were previously unable to transit the canal.13