Keywords: US Navy 050809-F-3177P-227 Cmdr. Mark Asselin and Electrician^rsquo,s Mate 1st Class Richard Van Skoik, assigned to Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD), prepare for a dive with their counterparts from the Panamanian National Mar.jpg en Panama City Panama Aug 9 2005 U S Navy Cmdr Mark Asselin and Electrician s Mate 1st Class Richard Van Skoik assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal EOD prepare for a dive with their counterparts from the Panamanian National Maritime Service as part of PANAMAX 2005 PANAMAX is a training exercise in defense of the Panama Canal involving 15 countries The Panama Canal is critical to the free flow of trade and goods in the Western Hemisphere and the entire world The region's economy and stability largely depend on the safe transport of several hundred million tons of cargo that transit through the canal every year U S Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Veronica Pierce RELEASED 2005-08-09 050809-F-3177P-227 Navy http //www navy mil/view_image asp id 27060 U S Navy photo PD-USGov-Military-Navy United States Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal PANAMAX 2005 Naval Base Vasco Núñez de Balboa |