Nicaragua Gives Chinese Firm Contract To Build Alternative To Panama Canal

McGruber writes with this news from late last week: "The Guardian is reporting that Nicaragua has awarded a Chinese company a 100-year concession to build an alternative to the Panama Canal, in a step that looks set to have profound geopolitical ramifications. The new route will be a higher-capacity alternative to the 99-year-old Panama Canal, which is currently being widened at the cost of $5.2bn. Last year, the Nicaraguan government noted that the new canal should be able to allow passage for mega-container ships with a dead weight of up to 250,000 tonnes. This is more than double the size of the vessels that will be able to pass through the Panama Canal after its expansion, it said."

Re:Short on details

[oodaloop]

I could potentially be a sea-level canal

So, lose some weight? I guess?

Re:it's too wide

[oodaloop]

It's a shame China didn't consult with you first then. You could have saved them a lot of trouble by telling them it was stupid. So in order to allow super tankers, which are too big for the Panama Canal, where would have built an additional, wider canal?

Good luck with that

[Russ1642]

If it only takes them a hundred years and a trillion dollars it'll be a miracle. And here's a tip: bring in the French first. After they fail everyone will want to help you out because apparently nothing's more satisfying than beating the French at something.

Costa Rica

[edxwelch]

You realise if the pull this off technically Costa Rica will become an island.

uh

[MickyTheIdiot]

David Lee Roth is confused.

What really happened....

[Anonymous Coward]

From the Wiki: ... Project Chariot, which would have used several hydrogen bombs to create an artificial harbor at Cape Thompson, Alaska. It was never carried out due to concerns for the native populations and the fact that there was little potential use for the harbor to justify its risk and expense....

Government Man: "We're going to build a new harbor for you!"
Inuit: "No want harbor. Want seals"
GM: "Look, this harbor will be really neat. It will be a big hole in the ground next to the sea where ships can park..."
I: "No want harbor. Want seals"
GM: "...and at night it will glow faintly, so that the ships can find their way in...."
I: "Any seals in harbor?"
GM: "No, no seals. But there will be lots of sailors. And bars..."
I: "No want harbor. Want seals"
GM: " If you don't stop saying that, we won't give you anything at all!"
I: "No want anything. Except seals. You got seals?"
GM: "Oh, for God's sake! Come on, Martin, lets go and blow up an island in the Pacific instead. The weather's better there, anyway..."