Technology Report.The Panama Canal openedalmost one hundred years ago.More than one million shipshave passed through the waterwaysince nineteen fourteen.The Panama Canal connectsthe Atlantic and Pacific oceans.It reduces travelby thirteen thousand kilometers.It avoids the need for shipsto sail around Cape Hornat the bottom of South America.More than forty shipspass through the canal each day-- more than fourteen thousandeach year.Now, a major expansion projectwill permit more ships-- and bigger ships-- to pass through the canal.Jorge Luis Quijano is the PanamaCanal's executive vice presidentof engineering.He told VOA's Zulima Palaciothat the canalis operating at its limit.JORGE LUIS QUIJANO: "The present canalhas a total capacity ofabout three hundredand forty million tonsa year that it can handle,that's the maximum capacity.With the expansion we expectto double that,over six hundred million tonsthat we can handle in a year."Ships pass througha series of locks.These locks raise a shipto the level of Gatun Lakeat the canal entranceon the Atlantic side.They lower the ship backto sea level on the Pacific side.For years, shipbuilders limitedthe size of many shipsso that they could fit throughthe Panama Canal.But now many shipping companiesuse bigger ships to transportmore goods as a way to reduce costs.Jorge Luis Quijano saysthe expansion project will allowmany of these larger shipsto use the canal.JORGE LUIS QUIJANO: "This new canalactually is offering a larger vesselthat it can handle,with deeper draft with a longerand wider vessel."Workers are building the new locksalongside the old ones,which will remain in use.The existing locks arethree hundred five meters longand thirty-three meters wide.The new ones will be four hundredtwenty-seven meters longand fifty-five meters wide.They will be able to handle shipswith drafts of more thanfifteen meters.Currently ships can rideonly twelve meters deepin the canal.Engineers could not makethe new locks too big.Mr. Quijano says the planshad to balance the sizeof the locks with the costfor ships to use the canal.JORGE LUIS QUIJANO: "We had to lookat the optimal size of vesselthat would make the returnon the investment of a high value to us.So we chose what size of vessels that could actually pay for this project."The cost is estimatedat more than five billion dollars.The new locks are set to openin twenty fourteen, the one hundredth anniversaryof the Panama Canal.And that's the VOA Special EnglishTechnology Report,written by June Simms.You can watch a videoabout the project at 51voa.com.