Heerema Fabrication Group (HFG) announces that Heerema Zwijndrecht, one of its operating companies, has been selected as the nominated subcontractor for the fabrication, delivery and installation of the Panama Canal lock gates. On 18 August the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) signed the contract with the winning Consortium Grupo Unidos por el Canal (GUPC) for the Panama Canal Expansion program.
Early this year Heerema Zwijndrecht submitted a proposal to the consortium for the delivery of 16 lock gates each weighing 2,500 ton. The work scope offered comprises overall project management, including Fabrication, Transportation and Installation of the Panama Canal Third Set of Locks. Currently Heerema Zwijndrecht is in the final stage of detailing the full agreement.
In close consultation with the consortium GUPC, Heerema Zwijndrecht submitted an innovative technical proposal to meet the requirements of ACP’s request with respect to minimizing risks and to meet the completion date by 2014, which is the 100th anniversary of the first Panama Canal transit.
The Locks Project has two lock lanes namely: the Atlantic lock and the Pacific lock facility. Each lane will have three consecutive lock chambers of approximately 55 meters wide, 18.3 meters deep and 427 meters long. The chambers will be locked by horizontally rolling gates of 60 meters wide, 28 meters high and 10 meters thickness. The total number of gates is eight per lane, in total 16 lock gates with a total weight of 40,000 ton.
“We are very proud that Heerema Zwijndrecht is part of the winning Consortium for the execution of this prestigious Panama Canal Expansion Project. With our experience in the fabrication of lock gates and complex offshore structures, we are convinced that we can create added value for ACP in meeting their requirements”, according to Wim Matthijssen, Managing Director of Heerema Zwijndrecht.
Jan-Pieter Klaver, CEO of Heerema Fabrication Group continues: “Heerema Fabrication Group aims to offer our clients innovative engineering driven fabrication solutions. Being part of the selected consortium nominated with the ‘best value’ regarding technical solution and price fully supports our goal.”
For more information:
Heerema Fabrication Group B.V.
Jeanny C.M. de Leeuw
Telephone: +31 [0]78 – 625 0425
Cell: +31 [0]6 51897062
E-mail:
jeanny.deleeuw@hfg-heerema.com
More information on the Panama Canal Expansion program can be found on: