On Friday, four consortia applied for qualification to build the $3.35-billion locks that will be the heart of the massive expansion to the Panama Canal. When completed, the new lock system will double the capacity of the historic waterway.
"The locks project is the most important contract under the Expansion Program, and we foresee strong competition for the project," said Jorge L. Quijano, Executive Vice President of Engineering and Program Management with the Panama Canal Authority. "The companies that have submitted qualifications are true pros with a wealth of experience, which means that the prospect of completing the Canal's expansion on time and with the expected quality, is very good."