PANAMA CANAL: ITS PAST AND ITS FUTURE

The paper reviews the history, and discusses what lies ahead for one of the busiest waterways in the world: the 51-mile long Panama Canal. Current canal traffic is noted, canal maintenance improvements are discussed, and its water availability is described. The future outlook for the Canal is examined with reference to competition and growth, the feasibility of widening Canal, and other isthmian transportation alternatives. Comments are made on the preparations for transfer of the Canal to Panama in 2000. The stewardship of the Canal is also discussed. It is noted that the Panama Canal is engineered for the future. Intensive maintenance effort and prudent capital improvement objectives are being met successfully. However, changing trade patterns and emerging new transportation tecnologies will have to be met.

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  • Accession Number: 00489381
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Nov 30 1989 12:00AM