This has HUGE long term implications.
Currently estimated to take ten years to build and costing in excess of $40 billion dollars, a new Hong Kong based Chinese Comany, the HKND Group (also known as the Investment Company for the Development of the Great Nicaraguan Canal), has won a lease from the Nicaraguan government under President Daniel Ortega, to build the canal to compete with or as an alternative to the Panama Canal.
The new canal would have the following specifications (intial estimates):
Canal Length: 282.5 km (178 miles)
Highest Elevation: 37 m (121 ft)
Lock Length: 610m (2,000 ft)
Lock width: 61 m (200 ft)
Lock Draft: 22m (72 ft)
Largest Ship: 250,000 tons displacement
The location of the Nicaragua Canal
Here is a closer look at the two proposed routes for the canal.
The Nicaruaga Canal Proposed Route
...and here's a close-up look at the existing Panama Canal by comparison:
The Panama Canal
By comparison, the Panama Canal Specification (after the new widening project) are:
Canal Length: 75.2 km (48 miles)
Highest Elevatione: 26 m (85 ft)
Lock Length: 427m (1,400 ft)
Lock width: 55 m (180 ft)
Lock Draft: 18.3 m (62ft)
Largest Ship: 130,000 tons displacement
Currently the Panama Canal is undergoing a $5.2 billion dollar widening that will meet the above specifications.
Inside Costa Rica said:
Currently estimated to take ten years to build and costing in excess of $40 billion dollars, a new Hong Kong based Chinese Comany, the HKND Group (also known as the Investment Company for the Development of the Great Nicaraguan Canal), has won a lease from the Nicaraguan government under President Daniel Ortega, to build the canal to compete with or as an alternative to the Panama Canal.
The new canal would have the following specifications (intial estimates):
Canal Length: 282.5 km (178 miles)
Highest Elevation: 37 m (121 ft)
Lock Length: 610m (2,000 ft)
Lock width: 61 m (200 ft)
Lock Draft: 22m (72 ft)
Largest Ship: 250,000 tons displacement
The location of the Nicaragua Canal
Here is a closer look at the two proposed routes for the canal.
The Nicaruaga Canal Proposed Route
...and here's a close-up look at the existing Panama Canal by comparison:
The Panama Canal
By comparison, the Panama Canal Specification (after the new widening project) are:
Canal Length: 75.2 km (48 miles)
Highest Elevatione: 26 m (85 ft)
Lock Length: 427m (1,400 ft)
Lock width: 55 m (180 ft)
Lock Draft: 18.3 m (62ft)
Largest Ship: 130,000 tons displacement
Currently the Panama Canal is undergoing a $5.2 billion dollar widening that will meet the above specifications.