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The Panama Canal is the system of man made channels, locks, dams, and artificial lakes that connect the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean across the Isthmus of Panama. Since its completion of construction in 1914 the Panama Canal has allowed shipping to cross the fifty mile wide isthmus at the narrowest part of the Americas. The Panama Canal locks allow ships to enter the system from either ocean and to be raised to the level of artificial Lake Gatun, 26 meters above sea level, to transit central Panama before being lowered to sea level on the other side.

There are Panama Canal cameras set up along the Panama Canal. Three are broadcast on the web site for the Panama Canal Authority (Autoridad del Canal de Panamá, ACP). These three Panama Canal cameras are at the Miraflores and Gatun Locks and at the Centennial Bridge. The Miraflores, Panama Canal live web cam updates its image every ten seconds.

The Panama Canal camera shot below right shows part of the Panama Canal expansion project. Currently most of the work is dry excavation as seen here. The ACP website states that 1.9 million tons of earth have been moved so far.

The Panama Canal camera shot below left below shows container ships and small pleasure craft on the inland approaches to the Miraflores Locks.

Panama Canal Info

The Panama Canal allows ships to avoid the Drake Passage around Cape Horn at the tip of South America saving up to 8000 miles for shipping that originates north of the canal.

Current passage time is about 9 hours. In 2007, 312 million tons of commercial shipping passed through the Panama Canal in 13,223. If you watch the Panama Canal camera at Miraflores for 24 hours you will see about 36 container ships pass.

The hydroelectric power to run the canal system comes from the Gatun Dam. The canal does not use all power generated and sells the unused portion.

Cost of Passage

When you watch a Panama Canal camera shot of a container ship passing through the Miraflores locks remember that ships pay a toll for passage. For example, based on charges updated on May 1, 2007 container ships pay based on capacity to carry shipping containers measuring twenty feet by eight feet by 8 and a half feet. For each twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) a ship pays $54. For a large container ship with a capacity of 4,400 TEU’s the toll would be 4,400 X $54 = $237,600. Smaller boats are assessed by length with boats less than fifty feet length paying $500 and those over 100 feet paying $1,500.

This Panama Canal camera shot is of the Centennial Bridge with a small boat passing underneath. The Panama Canal camera at the bridge changes images every 30 seconds.

The Panama Canal is an engineering wonder as well as a sight seeing wonder. Visit the Panama Canal cameras from time to time to see cruise ships, Panamax container ships, and small vessels transit the Panama Canal.

Panama Canal Fact

The idea of a canal to cross the Isthmus of Panama goes back to the 16th century. A working plan for a canal was drawn up as early as 1529 but no attempts were ever made to dig a canal until 1880. It’s a Panama Canal Fact!

The first Panama Canal treaty between the U.S. and Panama was signed by a Frenchman on behalf of Panama. The Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty was signed by Phillipe Bunau-/Varilla who was the … for Panama. Days after signing the treaty he resigned and moved back to France. It’s a Panama Canal fact.