Panama Canal

===Competition===
[[File:Panama_canal_lock_sizes.png|upright=1.5|thumb|right|Maximum ship sizes for the Panama and Suez canals<ref>{{cite web |title=Panama Canal expansion will allow transit of larger ships with greater volumes |date=September 17, 2014 |url=https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=18011 |work=Today in Energy |publisher=[[Energy Information Administration|EIA]] |access-date=2019-04-25 |archive-date=April 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425190436/https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php%3Fid%3D18011 |url-status=live }}</ref>]]
The canal faces increasing competition from other quarters. Because canal tolls have risen as ships have become larger, some critics<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://www.thepanamanews.com/pn/v_13/issue_06/business_03.html |title=Shipping industry complains about PanCanal toll hikes |first=Eric |last=Jackson |year=2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100418214654/http://www.thepanamanews.com/pn/v_13/issue_06/business_03.html |archive-date=2010-04-18 }}</ref> have suggested that the Suez Canal is now a viable alternative for cargo between Asia and the US East Coast.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-11/maersk-line-to-dump-panama-canal-for-suez-as-ships-get-bigger.html |title=Maersk Line to Dump Panama Canal for Suez as Ships Get Bigger |website=[[Bloomberg News]] |date=2013-05-11 |access-date=2013-12-24 |archive-date=March 10, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310235704/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-11/maersk-line-to-dump-panama-canal-for-suez-as-ships-get-bigger.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The Panama Canal, however, continues to serve more than 144 of the world's trade routes and the majority of canal traffic comes from the "all-water route" from Asia to the US East and Gulf Coasts.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Microsoft Word - Panama_Canal_Phase_I_Report_-_20Nov2013.docx |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GOVPUB-TD11-PURL-gpo49499/pdf/GOVPUB-TD11-PURL-gpo49499.pdf}}</ref>

An alternative route through [[Nicaragua]] and [[Lake Nicaragua]] has been proposed. On June 15, 2013, Nicaragua awarded the Hong Kong-based [[HKND Group]] a 50-year concession to develop a [[Nicaragua Canal|canal through the country]].<ref>{{cite news|last=De Cordoba|first=Jose|title=Nicaragua Revives Its Canal Dream|url=https://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887323734304578543432234604100|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=June 13, 2013|access-date=January 10, 2022|archive-date=November 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111022158/http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887323734304578543432234604100|url-status=live}}</ref> In February 2018, analysts widely viewed the project as defunct,<ref name=cancellation>{{cite news  |url=https://www.elfinancierocr.com/economia-y-politica/incertidumbres-financieras-desvanecen-sueno-de/7HFF44CY3RBVVE7BR3YRKJ3XZY/story/ |title=Incertidumbres financieras desvanecen sueño de canal en Nicaragua |website=El Financiero |agency=AFP |date=21 February 2018  |language=Spanish}}</ref><ref name=Interest>{{cite news |first=Seth |last=Cropsey |date=2018-04-09 |title=China sets its sights on South America |website=The American Interest |url=https://www.the-american-interest.com/2018/04/09/china-sets-sights-south-america/ |quote=China has abandoned its attempts to construct a Nicaraguan Canal to compete with its Panamanian counterpart.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Beverly |last=Goldberg |website=Open Democracy |date=27 August 2018 |title=Is the Nicaraguan mega-canal failure good news for indigenous communities? |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/democraciaabierta/beverly-goldberg/is-nicaraguan-mega-canal-failure-good-news-for-indigenous-communi |access-date=April 10, 2023 |archive-date=August 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828071540/https://www.opendemocracy.net/democraciaabierta/beverly-goldberg/is-nicaraguan-mega-canal-failure-good-news-for-indigenous-communi |url-status=dead }}</ref> though the head of the project insisted work was on-going. In April 2018 HKND Group closed its offices, leaving no forwarding address or telephone numbers to be reached.<ref name="closing">{{Cite news |date=2018-04-26 |title=Ex-Billionaire Abandons Office in Prime Hong Kong Tower |language=en |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-26/nicaragua-canal-builder-abandons-office-in-prime-hong-kong-tower |access-date=2023-05-01}}</ref>

The increasing rate of melting of ice in the Arctic Ocean has led to speculation that the [[Northwest Passage]] or [[Arctic Bridge]] may become viable for commercial shipping. This route would save {{convert|9,300|km|mi|abbr=on}} on the route from Asia to Europe compared with the Panama Canal, possibly leading to a diversion of some traffic to that route. However, such a route is beset by unresolved territorial issues and would still hold significant problems owing to ice.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2005/jun/12/20050612-123835-3711r/ |title=Northwest Passage redux |first=Levon |last=Sevunts |work=The Washington Times |date=2005-06-12 |access-date=2009-04-20 |archive-date=December 26, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081226220945/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2005/jun/12/20050612-123835-3711r/ |url-status=live }} See also: {{cite web |url=http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=1429085&C=america |title=Conservative Leader Harper Asserts Canada's Arctic Claims |first=Michel |last=Comte |publisher=DefenceNews.com (Agence France-Presse) |date=2005-12-22 |access-date=2006-02-23 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>