Panama votes on canal widening
Modern container ships struggle to pass through the canal
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Sunday, 22, Oct 2006 06:11
A referendum is being held in Panama to determine whether the central American country's iconic canal should be enlarged.
The government and operating company the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) want to widen the waterway to allow modern container ships to pass through, but opponents say the £5.25 billion project will simply further add to the country's debts.
Alberto Aleman Zubieta, ACP chief executive officer and director, insists that the construction project would double the canal's capacity.
"Expansion would be good for Panama, good for the maritime industry, and good for world trade," he said.
"Now the decision rests with the Panamanian people," Mr Zubieta added.
Under the proposals, new lanes and locks 427m long will be added to the 50-mile canal, which was originally constructed in 1914.
Engineers intend to increase the waterway's depth to 18.3m to allow 366m long vessels with a beam of 49 to traverse between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.