Regional woes. There's Tyndall and Howard AFB but I haven't been current.
Posted on 12/14/2007 8:40:26 PM PST by george76
Panama will take bids from four international consortiums seeking to build new, larger ship locks for the Panama Canal...
The locks are a key part of the 5.25 billion-dollar canal expansion project begun in September, aimed at doubling the capacity of the 50-mile (80-kilometer) canal connecting two oceans.
Panamanian officials hope the project will be finished by 2014.
The four consortiums now have until August 2008 to present final proposals and price tags to compete for the contract...
The largest ships that now use the canal carry up to 5,000 containers, but after the expansion supertankers and ships carrying as many as 12,000 containers will be able to sail the canal.
Some 14,000 ships, comprising about five percent of annual world commerce, pass through the Central American shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, avoiding the arduous and costly journey around Cape Horn...
(Excerpt) Read more at uk.news.yahoo.com ...
The bidders are:
With this hint of the ice melting around Northern Canada during the summer months...this isn’t exactly a venture that will be helpful or profitable. Adding to this misery....the current rate that shipping pays to cross the Panama Canal is fairly substantial. To get back this five billion, with profit for Panama....there will have to be a 50 percent raise on cost as a minimum...which means everyone will begin to question the value of crossing the canal or passing the cost onto customers. I’m thinking this is a business failure for whoever is funding it.
For sure China, maybe Dubai, Russia, and Haliburton?
Read the article. Boy was I off.
I don't hear much about that anymore. And people wonder why I'm not concerned about gorebull warming.
new locks eh? ,, so the chinese can get their really big ships thru, no doubt.. how convenient.
we go thru next april , it’ll be our second trip thru,,
Went through several times on Vincennes. Fun trip. My favorite little know Canal fact is that it’s a north-south trip, with the Pacific side further east than the Atlantic side. Also had some fun liberty in Panama City.
Of the four mentioned, I'd put my money on this one.
I’m surprised that Hutchson Whampoa is not on the bidders’ list.
Should be: Hutchison Whampoa
Looks like a fun trip.
Do we have any bases left ?
I don’t think so. We used to refuel at Rodman, which was a small base on the Pacific side, and the Air Force had Howard AFB. Both have been turned over to Panama.
Also from a couple years ago.
Chinese soldiers in the Panama Canal! LIVE Webcam! - Thread 2
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b34a5a84f5e.htm
Nobody with an IQ above 80 has said that since the 19th century, when a sea level canal was given up.
ALL of the water in the locks, comes from Gatun Lake. Fresh rainwater, that is. All of the water runs downhill with gravity. Fish do not swim from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
(I have transited the canal on sailboats in both directions, under both U.S. and Panamanian operational control.)
what a life.
It’s a nerve wracking experience, like being a mouse in the elephant house. They usually put you in behind giant ships. There are 6 locks to transit, each can be a totally different experience. But Panama is great, I highly recommend a visit there. If taking a cruise, sign up for one that transits the canal, it’s an amazing experience.
I wonder if there is any old freeper out there that helped to build the locks or if any freeper has stories to tell from old relatives or friends that help build the locks.
If you could, I have been thinking of taking a trip through the locks. Can you tell me if it is worth it?
Enjoyable or just like going through the river locks here in the states and no big deal?
I lived in Panama for 5 years. Class of ‘86 from Balboa High School.
They charged a guy 26 cents back in 1928 for swimming the canal because the bill was based on the weight.
Now that’s funny.
But I don’t think I’ll be attempting to swim the damn thing.
Maybe do a lap or two in the ships pool while in transit. And then only if I can be sipping a rum drink while doing it.
a man, a plan... I guess you know the rest.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.