How the Locks Work

The canal uses a lock system that lifts ships 26 meters above sea level into Gatun Lake, then lowers them back down on the other side. Each lock chamber fills with 101,000 cubic meters of fresh water from the lake — entirely by gravity, no pumps needed.

A full transit takes 8 to 10 hours and spares ships a 12,000-kilometer voyage around South America. The canal handles roughly 14,000 ships a year, carrying about five percent of all global maritime trade.