There have been many plans to expand the Panama Canal. Even if it will approximately cost US$5 billion or more, the concept is well awaited by Panama and its citizens. The various options towards consideration do not include constructing a large dam.
The modernization and expansion of the Panama Canal is so imminent because there are ships that have become larger and they no longer fit through the locks of the canal that will bring the Panama Canal to ineffectiveness. 58% of modern day ships can not longer pass through the Panama Canal in its present condition.Besides, the major trade beneficiary of the Panama Canal, the United States, relies heavily on a modernized, upgraded, expanded route to bolster the sustainability of its prosperity. It is therefore reckoned that all points considered, the approximated cost to expand the canal will serve well the desired efficiency.
(AllBuiness.com, 2005)The reality of the setbacks and inefficiency of the Panama Canal is due to the modernization of sea transportation. The canal has now transcended its capacity to serve such modernization. Its present ability of 47 transits daily is no longer viable.
Thus, the Autoridad del Canal de Panama is considering that a third set of larger locks be constructed. It will however have social and environmental impacts. It is because the Panama Canal is a fresh water canal.The operation of its locks depends on the vast water supply of 200 million liters from Lake Gatun. However, Lake Gatun also supplies the water needs of the Panamanians.
Thus, the need for such massive volume of fresh water to fill the increased locks of the canal plus the needs of the citizens of Panama will not work out. To sort this out, there is therefore the congruent need to construct a new dam by the Indio River.This river is of closest proximity to Lake Gatun. Therefore, expansion to Panama Canal will involve the massive prospect of increased locks and a new dam.
And this will bring about “deforestation, massive excavation of lands and significant environmental impacts” (Brooks, 2004)Build Another Canal in MexicoThe concept of creating another trans-isthmus corridor from Salina Cruz Port on the Pacific side of Mexico towards the coastline of Coatzacoalcos in the Gulf of Mexico has been studied and considered for 14 years now. This alternative route will shorten the travel of the shipping liners to 24 days, compared to the 28 days it takes to route through the Panama Canal.This efficiency will attract even double the 300,000 shipments coming from Asia. However, issues that have to be resolved would cover the customs procedure in Tehuantepec. Furthermore, there is no permanent terminal in Coatzacoalcos.
This port is servicing only the petrochemical products. (Mireles, 2005)On the other hand, there is the opportunity to maximize the already existing rail system that runs 255 miles between the two ports. It has been envisaged that the management of the rail system and the two ports be handled by only one entity to streamline the customers proceduresBuild Another Canal in NicaraguaThe prominent viability of Nicaragua as the site of an alternative short cut between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea has long been considered. As a country, Nicaragua has a more conducive climate, abundant resources and cost of transportation is more economical. There were more in the American legislature that favored a Nicaraguan Canal before the Panama Canal was approved. The U.
S.A relationship with the government of Panama was on better grounds than with the government of Nicaragua during the late 19th century. Besides, there was the major issue of a Mt. Pelee, a volcano in Nicaragua that is on the way to the prospective route.What the Nicaraguan canal possibility offered bordered on two options: one is a waterway.
The prospect would result to 12 miles of the Nicaraguan canal that will utilize San Juan River and Lake Nicaragua. This will cut short the route between North Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean sea by 525 miles. Tankers of even 250,000 tons can be accommodated, against the capacity of the Panama Canal of up to 70,000 tons.The other option is towards a dry canal through a rail system covering 234 miles. It will run from Pie de Gigante from the Pacific Coast to the Monkey Point in the Atlantic Coast.
The rail system will transport just the containers from the ships. The concept is viable because the route will avoid urban areas and natural habitats, except that it will cut through virgin forests. A dry canal through the rail system will cost less and create more jobs. (The Nicaragua Canal Proposal, 1997)
