This coming Sunday 25 June 2016 will see the opening of the new locks on the Panama Canal; the Luxembourg-based Jan De Nul Group has been heavily involved in this project which is undoubtedly one of the biggest and most prestigious hydraulic engineering projects in the world, specifically in the construction of two complex combination of locks on the Panama Canal.

2004 was the breakthrough year for the Jan De Nul Group in Panama; after years of studies, quotations and negotiations, Jan De Nul Group Panama landed his first project - the deepening of the access channel to the Atlantic Ocean through the Panama canal, executed with CSD J.F.J. De Nul. This contract was the signal for a long cooperation.

In 2006, the Panamanian government organised a referendum on the biggest expansion programme since the commissioning of the Panama Canal in 1914. This programme aims to dramatically increase the capacity of transportation of cargoes. The total cost of the expansion project is USD 5.5 billion. The expansion programme was divided into different modules with Jan De Nul managing four contracts, the larger module being "the design and construction of a third set of locks."

On 15 July 2009 the contract was assigned to Grupo Unidos por el Canal (GUPC), a consortium of Jan De Nul SA, Sacyr Vallehermoso (Spain), Salini - Impregilo (Italy) and Cusa (Panama). This project is one of the largest and most prestigious hydraulic construction projects in the world.

The project for the third set of locks was essentially gigantic earthworks and concrete and dredging. For this contract, Jan De Nul participated in two complexes of locks, one on the Atlantic Ocean and one on the Pacific Ocean. With these locks, larger ships can pass through the Panama Canal. In total, 6 sluice gates were built, each comparable in its dimensions to the Berendrecht lock in the port of Antwerp, the largest in the world until recently when it was dethroned by the lock of Kieldrecht, which was inaugurated on 11 June and which was also built by a consortium involving Jan De Nul SA.

The day after the inauguration on 26 June, the locks will be put into commercial use.