Four new lock gates destined for Panama, as part of the Canal’s Third Set of Locks, set sail from Trieste, Italy, this week.
Depending on weather conditions, the locks onboard the ship Sun Rise, are due to arrive in the South American country toward the middle of next month.
The shipment of gates is the second being transported to Panama following the arrival another four gates in August of last year.
“This is another important milestone towards the completion of a project that will have an important impact on the international maritime community,” said Panama Canal Administrator Jorge Luis Quijano.
The Panama Canal Expansion project, originally set for a 2014 completion date has now been pushed back to December 2015, at a total cost of $7 billion.
The project is currently 74 percent complete, according to the Panama Canal Authority (ACP).