The consortium behind the expansion of the Panama Canal believes that cracks found in the third set of locks will not delay the inauguration of the extended waterway planned for April 2016.
“The GUPC has given verbal indications that the finalisation date is still April 2016, as planned,” the ACP said in a statement, adding that it expected to receive formal notification of what caused the fissures.
The multi-billion-dollar canal expansion was originally due to be completed by 2014 but delays and disputes between the GUPC and the ACP over cost overruns from the original USD5.25 billion price tag have pushed back the date.