Panama Canal is a 48-mile long waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
The canal is operated by a series of locks that raise and lower ships 85 feet.
Three locks are located on the Atlantic side and three on the Pacific side.
Each lock has a pair of chambers, which are filled and emptied to raise and lower ships.
The gates of the locks are operated by electric motors.
The average time for a vessel to pass through the canal is about 8 to 10 hours.
Water enters the locks from Gatun Lake and is gravity fed.
The water is removed from the lower chambers through drainage pipes.
The water level in each lock chamber is adjusted by the amount of water released from the lake.
The process is controlled by a set of valves which regulate the flow of water.
The process is monitored by computers that control the speed and direction of the water flow.
The locks are equipped with a series of valves that regulate the flow of water.
The locks are also equipped with a system of buoys and lights to guide ships through the canal.