Canal expansion on schedule

The ACP presented its ninth report to the National Assembly, giving detailed explanations of progress and how the contracts have been awarded.

The report said that the Panamanian company, Constructora Urbana S.A. (CUSA) has completed 79 percent of the first phase of the excavation of the channel that will give access to the locks in the Pacific.

So far CUSA has removed 5.8 million cubic meters of material from Paraiso Hill, of a total of 7.4 million cubic meters.

In another area, The Mexican consortium CILSA-Minera Maria moved approximately 1.2 million cubic meters of material which represents 39 percent of the project.

It also finished the new route for the electric lines and relocated part of the Borinquen road and rerouted the Cocoli river flow. The widening works should be finished in 2014.