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: 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.
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.
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: 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.
January 2025: Trump vows to gain control of the Panama Canal.
In January 2025, President Trump vowed to gain control of the Panama Canal and refused to rule out military action against Panama.
2025: Anticipated Traffic Growth by 2025
It was projected that traffic would grow from 280 million PC/UMS tons in 2005 to nearly 510 million PC/UMS tons by 2025 through the Panama Canal.
