BY TOBY GOOLEY, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
MARITIME/PORTS
Transportation Report
DURING THE BUILDUP TO THE LONG-DELAYED OPENING OF THE
expanded Panama Canal in mid-2016, the Panama Canal Authority, the government
agency charged with managing, operating, and maintaining the canal, called the
expansion a “marvel” and a “game changer.” The authority’s public relations oper-
ation went into overdrive, issuing press releases with headlines like “Inauguration
of Expanded Panama Canal Ushers in New Era of Global Trade.”
It’s been more than two years since the expanded canal opened for business. Has
it lived up to its billing? Many would agree that the $5.25 billion project qualifies as
an engineering marvel. But whether the expansion is truly a game changer for inter-
national traders is less certain. Some industry segments have already seen a major
beneficial impact, but for others, the jury is still out.
It’s been more than
two years since the
expanded Panama
Canal opened for
business. But it may
still be too early to
assess its impact.
Has the Panama
Canal expansion
changed anything?
