A ship and sail boat prepare to pass through the Panama Canal's Miraflores en route to the Pacific ocean, December 31, 2000. The waterway, built and then operated by the United States for more than 80 years, passed to Panamanian control at noon December 3, 1999. Panama operators, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), are considering expansion plans, including the possible construction of a third set of locks, to keep the canal competitive into the 21st century.