There has been some 'shortcut' through the American continent for more than 100 years: how long will the Panama Canal remain viable?

The canal authorities no longer have to worry about another threat: a competitor in the region.

10 years ago, Nicaragua scrapped the old American plan to build a Nicaragua Canal. The country joined forces with a Chinese consortium that would be responsible for the construction of the almost 300 kilometer long canal. The Chinese investment company would be allowed to operate the canal for 100 years.

The new canal would be a formidable competitor for the Panama Canal, because it would be suitable for modern ships that cannot sail through the Panama Canal even after the widening.

Construction officially started in 2014, but more than an access road was not built in the years that followed. After many protests against possible environmental damage and the forced relocation of the local population and financial problems at the Chinese investment company, Nicaragua finally pulled the plug on the project.

Although the dream was not completely shelved: the permit for the Chinese consortium was revoked, the Nicaraguan law authorizing the construction of the canal is still in force.

But as long as a new lender does not come forward, the Panama Canal with all its limitations will remain the only shortcut for shipping traffic through the American continent.