Canal Authority probes 7-hour weekend delay

The Panama Canal Authority is investigating a 7-hour delay at the  Atlantic terminal Agua Clara locks on the weekend during maintenance work in one of the lock chambers.

On Monday, September  17 the Authority (ACP) Tweeted that despite the hold-up the locks remain in good condition and fully operational.

“The affectation occurred as a result of an unforeseen effect during inspection tests to the niche of one of the floodgates “, said an ACP  statement. The maintenance work was done in the gate inside the niche or space reserved in the chamber for these purposes. The tests are established in the contract for the construction of the new locks, to be made before the end of the notice period of defects  in the Atlantic terminal

Once aware of the incident, it was necessary to suspend the transit of the Aggua  Clara Locks only for about seven hours.. The rest of the locks continued normal transit operations

“This incident is under investigation, in order to take the necessary measures and prevent a similar situation recurring during the maintenance of a gate in its dry niche,” said the ACP.