- Home
- Who We Hire
Browse our jobs by category or search jobs and find more than just a job at CH2M HILL.
Find out how we are making the world a better place by giving back to our communities.
- Browse Jobs
Diversity makes CH2M HILL stronger.
Find out how. - Our Work
- Why CH2M HILL
Challenging projects across the globe! Learn more about how CH2M HILL is building the future.
- About Us
Photos courtesy of the Panama Canal Authority expansion program
Expanding the Panama Canal
In 2014, the Panama Canal will celebrate its 100th anniversary, and CH2M HILL will be there to celebrate with the people of the nation. We will be there to see the first ship pass through the canal which we helped to expand and through an additional set of locks which we helped to construct. What an honor to be entrusted with this great responsibility and historic undertaking!
Project Overview
History buffs may recall that the French first tried to build a "sea level" canal around the turn of 20th century and were defeated by engineering challenges, large river in–flow and tides on the Pacific side. The United States finished the first canal (two lanes) and locks in 1914 using a new design.
In 1939, the U.S. built a second set of locks which allowed the transit of commercial and war ships whose dimensions exceeded the size of the existing locks. A third set of locks was in the works when, in 1942, the work stopped because of the outbreak of WWII. Now, more than 70 years later, CH2M HILL serves as the program manager to build a new canal and a series of new locks on the Pacific and the Caribbean sides. We will widen the cuts, deepen the ship lanes and raise the water level, all with the mega-ships of today in mind. The canal will see an increase in cargo volumes, the transit of larger vessels, and an advantage of the economies of scale.
We will be at the opening ceremonies in 2014 for this new, much larger canal which will be built aside the existing canal and locks.
Planning
Clearly, this is a landmark project for our firm. But more important, it will provide added economic benefits to Panama, helping it to achieve long-term economic sustainability and growth, by expanding this important route for global commerce. Beyond serving as overall program manager, our mission is to help protect the country's environment and cultural and historical resources. The expansion will ensure a robust future for Panama's maritime route, boost the national economy, and enhance safety and efficiency.
Making History
The expansion will be the largest project in the canal’s history since it opened in 1914. During the next 20 years, cargo moving through the canal will grow an average of 3 percent per year, doubling 2005’s tonnage by 2025.
response time =0.15576171875