▁sand ▁and ▁rock ▁to ▁be ▁removed ▁of ▁which ▁about ▁half ▁was ▁rec laimed ▁from ▁the ▁sea . ▁ ▁On ▁ 4 ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁the ▁Pan ama ▁Canal ▁Author ity ▁( AC P ) ▁awarded ▁the ▁contract ▁to ▁d red ge ▁the ▁Pacific ▁sea ▁entrance ▁of ▁the ▁Pan ama ▁Canal ▁to ▁DE ME ▁operating ▁company ▁D red ging ▁International . ▁The ▁US D 1 7 7 . 5 ▁million ▁project ▁w iden ed ▁the ▁Canal ' s ▁ 1 4   km ▁approach -, ▁access - ▁and ▁navigation ▁channels ▁to ▁a ▁minimum ▁of ▁ 2 1 8 m ▁and ▁deep ened ▁them ▁to ▁a ▁maximum ▁level ▁of ▁minus ▁ 1 5 . 5 m . ▁DE ME ▁removed ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 9 . 0 7 ▁million   m 3 , ▁including ▁an ▁important ▁volume ▁of ▁hard ▁rock ▁that ▁was ▁broken ▁up ▁with ▁dr illing ▁and ▁bl ast ing . ▁D red ging ▁operations ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁midst ▁of ▁trans iting ▁traffic ▁and ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁int ensive ▁port ▁activity ▁at ▁Bal do a ▁and ▁Rod man . ▁A ▁follow - on ▁contract ▁involved ▁d red ging ▁and ▁deep ening ▁at ▁the ▁Rod man ▁qu ay ▁of ▁P SA ▁Pan ama ▁International ▁Terminal . ▁In ▁the ▁frame ▁of ▁A CP ' s ▁F resh ▁Water ▁D red ging ▁and ▁Ex c av ation ▁Project ▁for ▁the ▁Canal ▁Exp ansion , ▁Pan ama ▁Canal ▁Author ity ▁further ▁awarded ▁a ▁US $ 4 0 ▁million ▁contract ▁to ▁DE ME ▁for ▁w