Cool facts about Panama Canal
Posted on Aug 16, 2025 / Travel
- The canal lifts ships roughly 85 feet (26 m) above sea level to cross Gatun Lake.
- Its original locks are about 110 ft wide; the newer Neopanamax locks are about 180 ft wide.
- Freshwater, not seawater, fills the locks—rainfall in the watershed is the key resource.
- Gatun Dam, once the world’s largest earth dam, created the canal’s central lake.
- Dedicated electric “mules” on rails help keep big ships centered through the original locks.
- The canal opened in 1914; the modern expansion opened in 2016.
- A single transit can save over 7,000 nautical miles compared with rounding Cape Horn.
- Every ship must take a Panama Canal pilot who specializes in transiting the waterway.
Please share the link with friends and neighbors:
Also! Recommended for you:
What is the Panama Canal?How does the Panama Canal work?
Where is the Panama Canal and which oceans does it connect?
Who built the Panama Canal?
What is the Panama Canal expansion (Third Set of Locks)?
How long does it take a ship to transit the canal?
What challenges does the Panama Canal face?
Why is the Panama Canal important to global trade?
© 2025 City maps and famous places