How did the new Panama Canal locks allow larger neo-Panamax ships to pass?

The Third Set of Locks Project, completed in 2016, allowed for the passage of larger "neo-Panamax" ships by adding two new sets of three-step locks—one at each end of the Panama Canal—which significantly increased the canal's capacity.1

These new lock chambers were designed with much larger dimensions than the original locks to accommodate supersized vessels capable of carrying up to 13,000 TEUs. The new lock gates measure up to 190 feet (58 meters) long, 98 feet (30 meters) high, and 33 feet (10 meters) wide. Additionally, the project involved widening and deepening the canal's navigational channels, including the access channels connecting the new locks to the Gaillard Cut, to facilitate the movement of these larger ships. The design of the new chambers and their associated water-saving basins also focused on minimizing water turbulence and vessel disturbance during transit.12