•  The contract is worth 187 million euro

FCC Construcción, in consortium with two Central American companies, has been awarded a contract by the Panama Canal Authority to build the new access channel from the Panama Canal to the Pacific as part of the project to build the third set of locks at Miraflores. The contract is worth 187 million euro and construction will be completed in 43 months.

The project calls for the construction of a 3.7-kilometre long 200-metre wide channel connecting to the Pacific locks and includes the excavation, transport and disposal of approximately 27 million cubic metres of mostly rocky material.

Since excavation will extend below the water table, a pumping system will be installed, as well as systems to drain surface and ground water and environmental controls.

The contract includes the installation of a containment structure measuring over 1.5 kilometres comprised of cellular cofferdams which will enable the construction of an earth and rock dam with an impermeable clay core measuring 2.9 kilometres in length, 150 metres wide at the base, 26 metres high and with a crown 30 metres wide, consisting of around 5 million cubic metres of infill.

The project also includes building access roads, water drainage channels, and stockpile areas, as well as cleaning approximately 80 hectares of shooting range.

Other projects in Panama

FCC Construcción has completed other projects in Panama, including design, construction and environmental impact surveys for access roads to the second bridge over the Panama Canal, and a range of road upgrading, maintenance and widening projects.

The company is currently installing Mabey-type bridges at Cerro Viento, on Avenida José Domino Díaz, the Matías Hernández water treatment plant, and a pipeline parallel to the east coast.