Drought in Panama: minimising leakage to the ocean

Hundreds of vessels are awaiting passage at the Panama Canal locks. Due to drought conditions, the water level in the central Gatun Lake is so low that the authorities have decided to allow fewer ships to pass through each day. Each time a ship passes through the locks, around 200 million litres of water are released into the sea. Engineering company Iv designed the lock gates for this unique lock complex, where the role of the lake in providing fresh water was maximised within the specified requirements.

Minimised water loss

The Panama Canal plays a vital role in international marine navigation. Without a properly functioning lock complex between North and South America, ships would have to sail around the tip of South America. The renovated lock complex, which opened in 2016, is designed to minimise the loss of fresh water. Special water basins that reuse fresh water and the ingenious design of the lock gates ensure this significant reduction in water loss.

To minimise the loss of fresh water, reservoirs (water basins) are used while ships pass through the locks. These reservoirs, three next to each lock chamber, limit leakage losses by 60%. Water can be reused by allowing some water to flow through these basins during the process. The fresh water of Lake Gatun serves as a critical navigation route and is also the primary source of drinking water. This lake provides around half of Panama’s population with access to clean drinking water.

However, the prolonged drought is causing the water level in Lake Gatun to fall. Normally, the loss incurred by vessels passing through the locks – 200 million litres each time – is compensated by rainfall and the water supply from the Chagres River, typically allowing around 36 vessels to use the locks daily. But now that the rain has stopped and there is less water from the Chagres, Panama has reduced the number of ships passing through, leading to congestion and hundreds of ships waiting to cross from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

A patented solution

A strict requirement in the design of the lock gates of the renewed Panama Canal was that very little fresh water should leak into the oceans. An average leakage of five litres per metre per minute and a maximum leakage at any point on the gate of ten litres per metre is permitted. The seal that prevents leakage must last fifteen years, which means the gate will have opened and closed 135,000 times.

During this time, the seals must continue to meet the stringent requirements and not become worn. To this end, Iv developed a special pressure-differential-activated sealing and guidance system that ensures smooth horizontal guidance and easy, correct installation while meeting the stringent sealing requirements. Iv has secured a patent for this new, never-before-designed system.

More from NOS

NOS News reported on the drought in Panama and the consequences for marine navigation. On behalf of Iv, Wouter van der Wiel explains the operation of the Panama Canal locks. The design of the lock gates is also featured on the NOS website.