Expansion opening star sets sail

COSCO SHIPPING PANAMA, the ship that will play the lead role in the opening of the expanded Panama Canal locks has set sail from Greece and after a 14 day voyage will arrive in time for the inauguration ceremony on June 26

Before the vessel left the port of Piraeus, Canal Administrator Jorge Luis Quijano spoke with the captain of the boat, Jude Rodrigues (born in India) and his crew.

“It was a very good opportunity to meet the captain and crew and see the quality of the team that will be piloting thisship  through Canal waters, together with our staff who will be on board that day very early,” Quijano said,

Cosco Shipping Panama, Originally named Andronikos,  was  launched in January this year. The neopanamax  conainer vessel is 48.25 meters wide (wide) and 299.98 meters long (long), and will transit to a maximum capacity of 9,000 TEU 400.

The ship was renamed by the Chinese shipping company Cosco Shipping in honor of the inaugural transit through the expanded Canal.

The opening day for the vessel will begin in Panama Agua Clara Locks,on  the Atlantic side, early in the morning and end in the Cocolí locks on the Pacific side, in the afternoon. Commercial transits will continue the next day, as reported by the ACP.

20,000 tickets for the opening ceremonies have been distributed to the public in addition to the VIP’s, including many heads of state  who will be traveling from countries across the world and will be part of elaborate celebrations  with a $4 million price tag, including a state dinner that will cost over $1,500 per guest.

The ceremonies will draw worldwide attention to Panama and help part some of the clouds that have gathered since April with the release of the Panama Papers and the placing of the Waked family business on the Clinton List.