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This Economist article on the same topic seems to agree with you: https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2024/01/09/the-dwindling-of-the-panama-canal-boosts-riv
by livueta 3y ago
This Economist article on the same topic seems to agree with you: https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2024/01/09/the-dwindling-of-the-panama-canal-boosts-rival-trade-routes https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2024/01/09/the-dwindl... / https://archive.is/ZU0ws https://archive.is/ZU0ws
> But projects like CIIT may still struggle to entice cargo away from the Panama Canal. The largest vessels that go through it can carry 14,000 containers. Mexico’s government accurately reckons that the coast-to-coast rail journey will be quicker than passing through the canal. But it neglects to mention that the trains’ capacity and the speed at which they can be loaded and unloaded mean that the overall rate of goods’ transit between the two oceans will be much slower than the canal.
> Moreover, Niels Rasmussen, chief shipping analyst at Bimco, an industry association, says that carrying cargo by train or road has big snags. Most shippers would prefer to rack up extra miles on other maritime routes than to deal with the hassle of unloading and reloading. And if push comes to shove, many would probably prefer existing routes across the United States to untested road alternatives in Latin America.
- intrasight 3y agoThe economist article also mentioned just going north around Canada
- reactordev 3y agoSo clearly they don’t know what they are talking about. Any sailor would tell you, you don’t go above and below 55 degrees. Granted these are steel container ships but the seas don’t care. What’s one or two lost containers of goods? They sit just below the water surface for the next vessel to crash into. The Panama Canal has two paths. Only one can be used for container ships. Even that has been at capacity for quite some time. A more integrated shipping supply chain is needed to get goods from A to Z. Rail, truck, boat, and plane.
- philipov 3y ago> The Panama Canal has two paths. Only one can be used for container ships. I believe both Panamax and Neopanamax lanes can be used by most container ships. The Neopanamax lane can accommodate the biggest new container ships in addition to that.
- jefftk 3y ago> Any sailor would tell you, you don’t go above and below 55 degrees. Elaborate? There are major ports north of 55° and the US, Russia, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, the UK etc.
- reactordev 3y agoNorth of 55 is ice sheets. South 55 is Cape Horn. Not saying it can’t be done. Just not something you just “do” except for Vikings.
- jefftk 3y agoNorth of 55 has ice, but isn't all ice sheets. The most extreme example is probably the warm water port of Murmansk at 68° 58'.
- reactordev 3y agoOnly because of the North Atlantic Gulf Stream bringing warmer waters. Everywhere else around there is closed in the winter due to ice. Murmansk is a freak of nature, an exception to the rule, like how you can’t freeze vodka in a normal freezer.
- halJordan 3y agoThey're talking about after the ice melts friendo.
- bluGill 3y agoEven with global warming you cannot expect the north around Canada path to be open every summer. It will be closed most of the year even in the best case. Maybe you can attempt it some years but it isn't a reliable route worth considering.