1914day.year
The Panama Canal opens to traffic with the transit of the cargo ship SS Ancon.
In 1914, the Panama Canal officially opened when the SS Ancon completed the first transit, revolutionizing global maritime trade.
On August 15, 1914, the SS Ancon became the first vessel to transit the newly completed Panama Canal, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
This monumental engineering project, begun by the French and finished by the United States, spanned a decade of construction through dense jungle and challenging terrain.
More than 75,000 workers, including many Caribbean laborers, toiled to carve the canal’s locks and dam the Chagres River.
The canal’s opening transformed global shipping by significantly reducing travel time and distance for cargo vessels.
It enhanced international trade, military strategy, and economic ties between distant continents.
Today, the Panama Canal remains a vital artery of world commerce, handling thousands of ships each year and showcasing human ingenuity in engineering.
Panama Canal
SS Ancon