Prior to the origination of the plans for the Panama Canal vessels of trade had few options of getting goods from Europe and Asia to N. America.
Frequent droughts have pushed authorities to pursue a controversial plan to dam a river to save the waterway — an act that would flood the homes of thousands of people.
The Trump administration threatening partners in the Americas may prove to be short-term tactical approach but it will not prove to be a viable long-term strategy for engaging economically with the region.
Data from Project44 suggests that transit times appear to reflect the efficiency of individual ocean carriers rather than any form of favoritism.
Since returning to office, President Trump has made repeated claims that China operates the Panama Canal and threatened to take it back from the Panama Canal Authority, which has controlled it since 1999.
Panama and China have hit back at American claims about Beijing's influence over the Panama Canal, saying they were "lies". US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he wants the US to regain control of the canal and this week US Southern Command head Alvin Holsey visited the Central American nation to step up the pressure.