History of Panama Canal in Timeline

The Panama Canal is an 82-kilometer artificial waterway in Panama connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It traverses the Isthmus of Panama, facilitating maritime trade. The canal uses a lock system to raise ships to Gatun Lake, an artificial freshwater lake created by damming the Chagres River and Lake Alajuela, before lowering them on the other side. Each ship passage consumes an average of 200 million liters of freshwater. The canal's operation faces challenges due to drought-induced low water levels.

November 1902: Peace Treaty signed on USS Wisconsin

On 21 November 1902, the peace treaty that ended the "Thousand Days War" was signed on the USS Wisconsin. The US also brought engineering teams to Panama to begin planning the canal's construction before the US had even gained the rights to build the canal.

January 1903: Hay-Herrán Treaty Signed

On January 22, 1903, the Hay–Herrán Treaty was signed, proposing a renewable lease to the United States for the land for the canal in exchange for $10 million and an annual payment.

March 1903: Treaty Ratified by US Senate, Rejected by Colombia

In March 14, 1903, the US Senate ratified the Hay-Herrán Treaty, but the Senate of Colombia unanimously rejected the treaty.

November 1903: US Blocks Colombian Troops; Panama Declares Independence

On November 2-3, 1903, US warships blocked sea lanes against possible Colombian troop movements, and Panama declared independence which was quickly recognized by the United States.

November 1903: Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty Signed

On November 6, 1903, the Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty was signed, granting rights to the United States to build and administer the Panama Canal Zone.

1903: Roosevelt "Takes the Isthmus"

In 1903, President Roosevelt stated he "took the Isthmus" to start the canal, leading to criticisms of US actions.

May 1904: John Findley Wallace Appointed Chief Engineer

In May 1904, John Findley Wallace was appointed chief engineer of the Panama Canal Project.

May 1904: US Formally Takes Control of Canal Property

On May 4, 1904, the US formally took control of the Panama Canal property.

1904: Gorgas Appointed Chief Sanitation Officer

In 1904, William C. Gorgas was appointed chief sanitation officer and implemented measures to minimize the spread of diseases, particularly yellow fever and malaria.

1904: US Purchases French Canal Assets

In 1904, the United States purchased the French equipment and excavations for US$40 million and agreed to pay the new country of Panama.

June 1905: Wallace Resigns, Stevens Appointed

In June 1905, John Findley Wallace resigned as chief engineer and John Frank Stevens was appointed.

1905: US Engineering Panel Commissioned

In 1905, a US engineering panel was commissioned to review the Panama Canal design.

January 1906: Panel Recommends Sea-Level Canal

In January 1906, the US engineering panel recommended a sea-level canal to President Roosevelt.

1907: Stevens resigns as chief engineer

In 1907, Stevens resigned as chief engineer and was replaced by Goethals.

1907: Inauguration of Tehuantepec Railway

The original Tehuantepec Railway, which is being rehabilitated for the CIIT, was inaugurated in 1907 to initial success.

1908: Navy requests wider locks

In 1908, the United States Navy requested that the width of the Panama Canal locks be increased to at least 36 m to allow the passage of large warships.

October 1913: Gamboa Dike Destroyed

On 10 October 1913, President Woodrow Wilson remotely triggered the explosion that destroyed the Gamboa Dike, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Panama Canal.

1913: Creation of Gatun Lake

In 1913, Gatun Lake was created by damming the Chagres River and became a key part of the Panama Canal.

January 1914: First self-propelled vessel transits the canal

On 7 January 1914, Alexandre La Valley was the first self-propelled vessel to transit the Panama Canal from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.

August 15, 1914: Inauguration of Panama Canal

On August 15, 1914, the Panama Canal was inaugurated, shortening maritime communication and influencing global trade patterns.

August 1914: First Toll Paid by Pleasure Boat

On 14 August 1914, Morgan Adams paid the first toll to the U.S. government for a pleasure boat's use of the Panama Canal, with his boat Lasata passing through the Zone.

August 1914: First ship transits the canal ocean to ocean

On 3 August 1914, the SS Cristobal was the first ship to transit the Panama Canal from ocean to ocean.

August 1914: Formal Opening of the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal was formally opened on 15 August 1914, with the passage of the cargo ship SS Ancon.

1914: Steam shovels used in Chile copper mine

In 1914, steam shovels from the Panama Canal were purchased and put to use in Chuquicamata copper mine of northern Chile.

1914: Canal Opens with Initial Traffic

In 1914, the Panama Canal opened and had approximately 1,000 ships passing through.

1914: Panama Canal Opens

In 1914, the United States opened the Panama Canal after taking over the project from France in 1904.

1914: Opening of Panama Canal impacts Chilean Ports

In 1914, the opening of the Panama Canal caused a severe drop in traffic along Chilean ports due to shifts in maritime trade routes.

1914: Opening of Panama Canal

The Tehuantepec Railway fell out of use due to the Mexican Revolution and the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914.

September 1915: Landslide closes the Panama Canal

On 18 September 1915, a landslide in the Culebra Cut closed the Panama Canal for nearly seven months.

1921: Thomson-Urrutia Treaty Signed

In 1921, the Thomson–Urrutia Treaty was signed between Colombia and the United States, with the US agreeing to pay Colombia $25 million and grant special privileges in the Canal Zone in return for Colombia recognizing Panama as an independent nation.

1928: USS Saratoga damages canal

In 1928, the USS Saratoga, an aircraft carrier, damaged the Panama Canal due to its flight deck protruding beyond the hull.

1928: Lowest toll ever paid

In 1928, the lowest toll ever paid was 36 cents by Richard Halliburton who swam the Panama Canal.

1934: Estimated Capacity of Panama Canal

In 1934 it was estimated that the maximum capacity of the Panama Canal would be around 80 million tons per year.

1935: Completion of Madden Dam

In 1935, the Madden Dam was completed across the Chagres River, creating Madden Lake to provide additional water storage for the Panama Canal.

1939: End of US Protectorate over Panama

After the revolution in 1903, the Republic of Panama was a US protectorate until 1939.

1939: Construction begins on new locks

In 1939, construction began on a new set of locks for the Panama Canal, large enough to carry the larger warships, but the project was canceled after World War II.

1956: Suez Crisis influences Panamanian demands

After the Suez Crisis in 1956, Panamanian demands increased for the United States to hand over the Panama Canal to Panama, drawing inspiration from the US pressuring France and the UK to relinquish control of the Suez Canal.

January 1964: Martyr's Day Riots

On 9 January 1964, Panamanian unrest culminated in riots on Martyr's Day, where about 20 Panamanians and 3–5 US soldiers were killed.

1974: Negotiations toward a settlement begin

In 1974, negotiations toward a settlement began which resulted in the Torrijos–Carter Treaties.

September 1977: Torrijos-Carter Treaties Signed

On 7 September 1977, the Torrijos-Carter Treaties were signed by President Jimmy Carter and Omar Torrijos, initiating the process of granting Panama free control of the canal while ensuring its permanent neutrality.

1977: Torrijos-Carter Treaties

In 1977, The Torrijos-Carter Treaties were signed.

1978: Deforestation Concerns

In 1978, researchers warned that deforestation in the Panama Canal drainage basin could harm the canal.

1985: Forested Area Decreased

By 1985, the forested area in the Panama Canal drainage basin had dropped to 30%.

1986: Crude Oil Spill

In 1986, a crude oil spill east of the Caribbean entrance to the Panama Canal killed plants and invertebrates in the area.

1989: Completion of Berendrecht Lock

The Port of Antwerp completed the Berendrecht Lock, which De Nul helped build and is a carbon copy of the Panama Canal locks, in 1989.

December 1999: Full Panamanian Control Achieved

On 31 December 1999, full Panamanian control of the Panama Canal became effective, with the Panama Canal Authority assuming command.

1999: Panama Takes Full Control

In 1999, the Panamanian government took full control of the Panama Canal.

1999: Tonnage carried in 1999

In fiscal year 1999, the total tonnage carried was 227.9 million PC/UMS tons.

2000: Continued Deforestation

As of 2000, deforestation from human population growth, land degradation, and erosion continued to harm the ecosystem of the Panama Canal drainage basin.

2000: ACP Develops Sustainable Expansion Program

In 2000, as a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact, the ACP developed an environmentally and socially sustainable program for the Panama Canal expansion, protecting aquatic and terrestrial resources and diminishing water loss.

2000: First Ships Cross Arctic Route

Since 2000, a few ships have successfully crossed the Arctic route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, which was previously impassable.

2003: Ocean-going transits in 2003

In 2003, the total number of ocean-going transits was 11,725.

2004: Improved Canal Operations

In 2004, it was reported that canal operations were improving under Panamanian control.

2005: Traffic Volume in 2005

In 2005, the traffic volume through the Panama Canal was recorded at 280 million PC/UMS tons.

April 2006: Senior Captain Raffaele Minotauro Awarded Panama Canal Honorary Pilot

On April 2006, Senior Captain Raffaele Minotauro of the "Italian Line" was awarded the title of Panama Canal Honorary Pilot.

August 2006: Highest fee for priority passage

On 24 August 2006, the highest fee for priority passage charged through the Transit Slot Auction System was US$220,300, paid by the Panamax tanker Erikoussa.

October 2006: Expansion Proposal Approved in Referendum

On October 22, 2006, a proposal to expand the Panama Canal was approved in a national referendum by about 80 percent of voters.

2006: Anticipation of Increased Ship Size

In 2006, it was anticipated that by 2011, 37 percent of the world's container ships would be too large for the present Panama Canal, necessitating expansion.

February 2007: Popular Mechanics Article on Expansion Project

In the February 2007 issue, Popular Mechanics magazine described the engineering aspects of the Panama Canal expansion project.

September 2007: Launch of Expansion Program

On September 3, 2007, the Panama Canal Expansion Program was launched with an initial explosion to begin dry excavations.

2007: Increase in transits

By 2007, the total number of ocean-going transits increased to 13,233.

2007: Construction Begins on Canal Expansion

In 2007, construction began on the Panama Canal expansion project.

2007: Increase in passenger vessel toll

Starting in 2007, the toll has greatly increased for passenger vessels.

2008: Traffic Reaches 14,702 Vessels

By 2008, the annual traffic through the Panama Canal had risen to 14,702 vessels, totaling 333.7 million PC/UMS tons.

2008: Capacity Enlargement

In 2008, improvements to the Panama Canal increased its capacity to 300 million PCUMS.

July 2009: Contract Awarded for New Locks

In July 2009, Jan De Nul, Sacyr Vallehermoso, Impregilo, and Grupo Cusa were awarded the contract to build the six new locks for US$3.1 billion for the Panama Canal expansion.

2009: Anticipated Capacity Reach

In 2009, it was anticipated that the maximum sustainable capacity of the original Panama Canal would be reached between 2009 and 2012.

2009: Drop in transits

In 2009, the total number of ocean-going transits fell to 12,855.

February 2010: Popular Mechanics Follow-up Article

In February 2010, Popular Mechanics published a follow-up article on the Panama Canal expansion project.

April 2010: Most expensive toll

On 14 April 2010, the most expensive regular toll for Panama Canal passage to date was charged to the cruise ship Norwegian Pearl, which paid US$375,600.

December 2010: Canal closed due to rains

In December 2010, record-breaking rains caused a 17-hour closure of the Panama Canal; the first closure since 1989.

2011: Projected Increase in Large Container Ships

By 2011, it was anticipated that 37% of the world's container ships would be too large for the existing Panama Canal, highlighting the need for expansion.

2011: Colombia Railway Proposal Announced

In 2011, Colombia's then-president Juan Manuel Santos announced a proposal for a railway between Colombia's Pacific and Caribbean coasts.

June 2012: Completion of Concrete Monolith

By June 2012, a 30 m reinforced concrete monolith was completed, marking the first of 46 monoliths for the new Pacific-side lock walls of the Panama Canal.

July 2012: Canal Expansion Behind Schedule

In early July 2012, it was announced that the Panama Canal expansion project had fallen six months behind schedule.

2012: Over 815,000 Vessels Have Used Canal

By 2012, more than 815,000 vessels had passed through the Panama Canal.

2012: Capacity Reaches 340 PCUMS

By 2012, the capacity of the Panama Canal had been enlarged to 340 PCUMS due to ongoing improvement projects, complementing future lock projects.

2012: Anticipated Capacity Reach

In 2012, it was anticipated that the maximum sustainable capacity of the original Panama Canal would be reached between 2009 and 2012.

June 2013: Nicaragua Canal Concession Awarded

In June 2013, Nicaragua awarded the Hong Kong-based HKND Group a 50-year concession to develop a canal through the country.

2013: Tonnage carried in 2013

In fiscal year 2013, tonnage was 320.6 million PC/UMS tons.

January 2014: Contract Dispute Threatens Project

In January 2014, a contract dispute threatened the progress of the Panama Canal expansion project.

June 2014: Work Reaches Goals After Delay

By June 2014, the Panama Canal project consortium members reached goals after a delay of less than two months due to a contract dispute in January 2014.

July 2014: Route Approved for Nicaragua Canal

On July 7, 2014, Wang Jing of HKND Group advised that a route for Nicaragua's proposed canal had been approved.

September 2014: Projected Opening for Transit

By September 2014, the new gates of the Panama Canal expansion were projected to be open for transit at the "beginning of 2016".

October 2014: Original Expected Opening Date

By July 2012, expectations were for the Panama Canal expansion to open in October 2014.

2014: Commodore Ronald Warwick Awarded Panama Canal Honorary Pilot

In 2014, Commodore Ronald Warwick, a former Master of Cunard Liners, was awarded the title of Panama Canal Honorary Pilot.

2014: Tonnage carried in 2014

In fiscal year 2014, tonnage was 326.8 million PC/UMS tons.

April 2015: Expected Opening Date

By July 2012, expectations were for the Panama Canal expansion to open in April 2015 rather than October 2014.

June 2015: Flooding of New Locks Began

In June 2015, the flooding of the new Panama Canal locks began, first on the Atlantic side, then on the Pacific side.

2015: Canal traffic in 2015

In 2015, canal traffic reached 340.8 million tons of shipping.

2015: Colombia Railway Proposal Deemed Irrelevant

In 2015, the director of the Colombia-China Chamber of Commerce said the railway proposal for Colombia "was mentioned in 2011 and subsequently had minimal relevance".

2015: Start of Dry Period Restricting Ship Passage

The 2015 fiscal year marked the start of one of the driest periods on record, restricting ships' passage through the Panama Canal.

March 2016: Expansion Inauguration Date Set

On March 23, 2016, the Panama Canal expansion inauguration was set for June 26, 2016.

April 2016: Re-inauguration Slated for April 2016

By June 2015, the Panama Canal's re-inauguration was slated for April 2016.

April 2016: New Container Ship Tolls

Effective 1 April 2016, the Panama Canal tolls for container ships were adjusted to $60 per TEU capacity plus $30 per loaded container, potentially reaching $90 per TEU.

April 2016: New toll system introduced

On 1 April 2016, a more complicated toll system was introduced, having the neopanamax locks at a higher rate in some cases.

April 2016: Per-berth charge

Since 1 April 2016, the per-berth charge is $111 for unoccupied berths and $138 for occupied berths in the Panamax locks.

June 2016: Commercial Operation of Expanded Waterway

On June 26, 2016, the expanded Panama Canal waterway began commercial operation, allowing for the transit of larger, Neopanamax ships.

June 2016: New Locks Open for Commercial Traffic

On June 26, 2016, the new Panama Canal locks opened for commercial traffic, with the Cosco Shipping Panama being the first ship to cross using the third set of locks.

June 2016: Expansion Inauguration

On March 23, 2016, the Panama Canal expansion inauguration was set for June 26, 2016.

2016: PC/UMS net ton tolls

As of fiscal year 2016, the Panama Canal toll is US$5.25 per ton for the first 10,000 tons, US$5.14 per ton for the next 10,000 tons, and US$5.06 per ton thereafter.

2016: Projected Opening for Transit

By September 2014, the new gates of the Panama Canal expansion were projected to be open for transit at the beginning of 2016.

2016: Expansion Project Completed

In 2016, a decade-long expansion project was completed at the Panama Canal, creating larger locks and deeper channels to allow bigger ships to transit.

2016: Completion of Canal Expansion

In 2016, the Panama Canal expansion was completed.

2016: Increased Spread of Invasive Species

In 2016, with the expansion of the Panama Canal, increased global trade led to a rise in the spread of invasive species, such as the Asian green mussel, through the canal.

2016: Continuation of Dry Period Restricting Ship Passage

The 2016 fiscal year was also one of the driest periods on record, restricting ships' passage through the Panama Canal.

May 2017: Doubts Expressed About Nicaragua Canal Financing

By May 2017, no concrete action had been reportedly taken constructing the Nicaragua Canal and further doubts were expressed about its financing.

October 2017: Modified tolls in effect

As of 1 October 2017, there are modified tolls and categories of tolls in effect.

2017: Average Transit Time

In 2017, the average time for ships to pass through the Panama Canal was 11.38 hours.

February 2018: Nicaragua Canal Project Viewed as Defunct

In February 2018, analysts widely viewed the Nicaragua Canal project as defunct, although the project head insisted work was ongoing.

April 2018: HKND Vanishes

Despite HKND vanishing in April 2018, the Nicaraguan government indicates that it will continue with the 908 km (351 sq mi) dry land expropriations within Nicaragua, under land expropriation Canal Law 840.

April 2018: HKND Group Closes Offices

In April 2018, HKND Group, the company awarded the concession for the Nicaragua Canal, closed its offices without providing a forwarding address or telephone number.

2019: Fifth Driest Year in 70 Years

2019 was the fifth driest year in 70 years for the Panama Canal, with temperature rise also causing an increase in evaporation.

2019: Drought Lowers Gatún Lake Levels

During a drought in 2019, Gatún Lake's water levels dropped to historic lows because so much water was being used for the Panama Canal.

2019: Mexico Begins Building Interoceanic Corridor

Since 2019, Mexico has been building the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT) as an alternative transport route.

December 2023: Shipping Backups Due to Low Water Levels

In early December 2023, ships were backing up at the Panama Canal because only 22 ships per day could transit due to low water levels.

December 2023: Passenger Service Opens on Interoceanic Corridor

On 22 December 2023, passenger service opened on the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT) in Mexico.

January 2024: Transit Restrictions Due to Low Water Levels

In January 2024, the Panama Canal allowed 24 ships per day to transit due to ongoing low water levels.

July 2024: Operation of Interoceanic Corridor

All the works related to the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT) in Mexico were due to have begun operation by July 2024.

December 2024: Trump Suggests Retaking Control of Panama Canal

In December 2024, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump asserted the United States should retake control of the Panama Canal, claiming unfair rates and potential control by China, prompting a denial from Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino.