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Metrology and the Panama Canal: A Historical Overview

  • Writer: Dr. Ulrich Harmes-Liedtke
    Dr. Ulrich Harmes-Liedtke
  • May 14
  • 4 min read

Updated: May 19

When the Panama Canal was inaugurated in 1914, it stood as a monument to engineering prowess and the quiet, often invisible discipline of measurement. The accurate control of water levels, the precise alignment of massive lock gates, and the seamless operation of the canal’s machinery were feats that depended on precise, reliable, and consistent measurements—what we now recognise as core elements of metrology. Yet, at that time, Panama had no national metrology infrastructure of its own.

 

Today, the Centro Nacional de Metrología de Panamá (CENAMEP AIP) plays a central role in the country's quality infrastructure, serving key sectors such as energy, health, industry, and—perhaps most notably—the Panama Canal. But the path to this institution was long and shaped by a unique interplay between domestic development and international collaboration.

 

Beginnings: Metrology Before Metrology

 

Before CENAMEP and before Panama became a republic, the responsibility for ensuring accurate measurements during the construction of the Canal rested with the foreign powers overseeing the project. The French attempt (1881–1894) to build a Panama Canal, under Ferdinand de Lesseps, was plagued by technical and health failures. The United States’ effort (1904–1914) brought a more systematic approach, including stronger engineering standards and logistical control.

 

Measurement systems used during construction were imported mainly from the U.S., aligned with inch-pound units (Imperial/U.S. customary system). The Isthmian Canal Commission (ICC) oversaw technical operations, and much of the precision equipment used was likely traceable to U.S. national standards—i.e., NIST (then NBS, the National Bureau of Standards). Unfortunately, documentation from this era on the specific metrological practices used is limited, but what is clear is that the construction and operation of the Canal required high levels of measurement integrity—whether for water level management, lock gate engineering, or steel and concrete specifications.

 

1976: The First Laboratory and a Pioneer

 

The formal story of Panamanian metrology begins in 1976, when Anselmo Manuel Araolaza Rodríguez, an Argentine engineer, arrived in Panama under the auspices of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Tasked with leading the "Long Term Metrication" project, Araolaza collaborated with local engineers to establish Panama's first Metrology Laboratory.

 

By the 1990s, the initiative found a home within the Centro Experimental of the then Instituto Politécnico de la Universidad de Panamá (now Universidad Tecnológica de Panama, UTP), thanks to the efforts of Ing. Maricela Ferrer, Director of COPANIT (Comisión Panameña de Normas Industriales y Técnicas, today DGNTI) and Dr Gonzalo Cordoba Candanedo, from the UTP. The laboratory's development was a collaborative effort involving Ing. Felicia Eneida Rivera González, who oversaw civil works, and Ing. Lilibeth Bayard Stanziola, recognised as Panama's first metrologist.

 

Araolaza's personal journey intertwined with his professional mission; he eventually married Ing. Rivera, leading a colleague to remark that "in Panama, metrology was born out of an act of love."

 

2002–2008: From CENAMEP to CENAMEP AIP

 

Building upon the foundational work of the 1970s, Panama recognised the need for a more robust metrological infrastructure. In 2002, under the leadership of Dr. Gonzalo Córdoba Candanedo, then Secretary of the Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (SENACYT), the Centro Nacional de Metrología de Panamá (CENAMEP) was inaugurated. Araolaza played a pivotal role in this development, overseeing the acquisition of national measurement standards and the establishment of atomic clocks to define Panama's official time.

 

By 2008, CENAMEP had evolved into an Asociación de Interés Público (AIP), which granted it greater autonomy and positioned it as the nation's official metrology institute. This transition was formalised via Law No. 52 of 2007, which regulated metrological activities in Panama.

 

A Complex Relationship with the Canal Authority

 

CENAMEP AIP and the Autoridad del Canal de Panamá (ACP) have maintained a dynamic relationship since the beginning, as the ACP was one of the first members of CENAMEP AIP when it was established as an AIP. During the Canal Expansion Project (2007–2016), European contractors, accustomed to stringent international standards, sought CENAMEP's expertise for calibrations in areas such as mass, volume, pressure, and electrical measurements.

 

However, post-expansion, the collaboration diminished, particularly after the passing of ACP's former Metrology Manager. While ACP continues to engage CENAMEP for specific services, including calibrations and training, the partnership is less active than during the expansion era.

 

Notably, in 2023, ACP inaugurated a Water Quality Laboratory under the leadership of Dr Marilyn Diéguez Pinto (ACP’s main representative at the General Assembly of CENAMEP AIP). As a result of this new demand and other national health and water quality needs, CENAMEP's emerging Chemical Metrology services are also being developed to support this initiative. This development signals potential for renewed collaboration.

 

Lessons for Developing and Emerging Countries

 

Panama's experience underscores the importance of aligning metrological infrastructure with national priorities and international standards. Key takeaways include:

 

  • Infrastructure projects can catalyse metrological development, especially when international standards are involved.

  • Sustained collaboration between national institutions and key sectors ensures the relevance and application of metrological services.

  • Personal dedication and international cooperation are instrumental in establishing and advancing national metrology capabilities.

 

The Panama Canal, a testament to engineering excellence, has also been a catalyst for the nation's metrological journey. Through the dedication of pioneers like Anselmo Araolaza and the continued efforts of institutions like CENAMEP AIP, Panama continues to strengthen its measurement infrastructure, ensuring precision and quality across various sectors.


Anselmo Araolaza and Javier Arias at CENAMEP AIP, Photo taken by the author on 12/10/2016
Anselmo Araolaza and Javier Arias at CENAMEP AIP, Photo taken by the author on 12/10/2016

* My special thanks go to Javier A. Arias Real, current director of CENAMEP AIP and acting president of the Sistema Interamericano de Metrología (SIM), and to Anselmo Araolaza, Argentine engineer and metrologist recognised as the founding figure and first director of the CENAMEP AIP, Panama's National Metrology Center, for providing important information for this article.

 

This blog post is the start of an irregular series of articles on the impact of key sectors on the development of national quality infrastructure, especially in developing and emerging countries, under the hashtag #Sectors4QI.

 

References

 

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