Nicaragua has given China the contract to build an alternative to the Panama Canal
45 replies, posted
[quote]Nicaraqua 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 president of the country's national assembly, Rene Nuñez, announced the $40bn (£26bn) project, which will reinforce Beijing's growing influence on global trade and weaken US dominance over the key shipping route between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
The name of the company and other details have yet to be released, but the opposition congressman Luis Callejas said the government planned to grant a 100-year lease to the Chinese operator.
The national assembly will debate two bills on the project, including an outline for an environmental impact assessment, on Friday.
Nicaragua's president, Daniel Ortega, said recently that the new channel would be built through the waters of Lake Nicaragua.
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.
[img]http://www.popsci.com/files/imagecache/article_image_large/articles/NicaraguaCanalPanorama.jpg[/img][/quote]
[url]http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/06/nicaragua-china-panama-canal?CMP=twt_gu[/url]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uPCQy32tGg[/media]
I got these vibes.
The China Canal.
It's still about ten times longer than the panama canal :v:
I'd love to see this.
I'm just wondering at which end they'll put the "Made In China" tag
[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;40955270]It's still about ten times longer than the panama canal :v:[/QUOTE]
It actually saves a lot on travel costs.
The melting of the north pole, and the construction of this canal, is probably going to make the Panama canal a lot less important.
They've also got a seemingly endless labor force, and who gives a shit how many of them die during the construction.
Fuck China.
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;40955296]It actually saves a lot on travel costs.
The melting of the north pole, and the construction of this canal, is probably going to make the Panama canal a lot less important.[/QUOTE]
What does the north pole melting add to this?
[QUOTE=Persecution;40955336]They've also got a seemingly endless labor force, and who gives a shit how many of them die during the construction.
Fuck China.[/QUOTE]
I'll bet you very good money that less people will die building this than the Panama canal.
[editline]9th June 2013[/editline]
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;40955343]What does the north pole melting add to this?[/QUOTE]
Ships can sail around the top of Canada.
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;40955344]
Ships can sail around the top of Canada.[/QUOTE]
I don't think that'll happen as a major route any time soon. There are passages clearing up, but it still has many icebergs floating about and it's not entirely safe.
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;40955392]I don't think that'll happen as a major route any time soon. There are passages clearing up, but it still has many icebergs floating about and it's not entirely safe.[/QUOTE]
True, but the number of ships taking the northern sea route keeps increasing as the ice is clearing faster than expected.
Up until 2008, no ships sailed that route. 2009 saw 2 ships, and 2012 saw 46.
[QUOTE=Persecution;40955336]They've also got a seemingly endless labor force, and who gives a shit how many of them die during the construction.
Fuck China.[/QUOTE]
A shit load of people died when the US had it built, I can only imagine the death toll if China did it.
[QUOTE=Sir_takeslot;40955464]A shit load of people died when the US had it built, I can only imagine the death toll if China did it.[/QUOTE]
I doubt it. Death rates from coal mining in China have dropped by two thirds in the past 13 years, whilst the death rate per million tons of coal has dropped by a factor of seven.
If they can achieve that for mines, I think canals are no worse.
I bet you that the death rate on this canal won't even exceed 1% of the original Panama canal.
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;40955287]I'm just wondering at which end they'll put the "Made In China" tag[/QUOTE]
one engraving every one mile
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;40955504]I doubt it. Death rates from coal mining in China have dropped by two thirds in the past 13 years, whilst the death rate per million tons of coal has dropped by a factor of seven.
If they can achieve that for mines, I think canals are no worse.
I bet you that the death rate on this canal won't even exceed 1% of the original Panama canal.[/QUOTE]
I think you're over-exaggerating, but I still think that many people will die
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;40955504]I doubt it. Death rates from coal mining in China have dropped by two thirds in the past 13 years, whilst the death rate per million tons of coal has dropped by a factor of seven.
If they can achieve that for mines, I think canals are no worse.
I bet you that the death rate on this canal won't even exceed 1% of the original Panama canal.[/QUOTE]
I'll tox this. But jokes on you fucker, they have 100 years to do it.
[editline]8th June 2013[/editline]
[QUOTE=Derposaurus;40955791]I think you're over-exaggerating, but I still think that many people will die[/QUOTE]
Tropical Disease is a wonderful thing.
[editline]8th June 2013[/editline]
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;40955504]I doubt it. Death rates from coal mining in China have dropped by two thirds in the past 13 years, whilst the death rate per million tons of coal has dropped by a factor of seven.
If they can achieve that for mines, I think canals are no worse.
I bet you that the death rate on this canal won't even exceed 1% of the original Panama canal.[/QUOTE]
Over 28,000 people died in the construction so yeah.
[QUOTE=Derposaurus;40955791]I think you're over-exaggerating, but I still think that many people will die[/QUOTE]
It is true. Nearly 6000 people died in 2000 in mining in China, whilst in 2012, it dropped to under 2000.
Also 1% of 27,500 is 275. 275 is a considerable number, and I don't think China will surpass that.
[editline]9th June 2013[/editline]
[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;40955905]I'll tox this. But jokes on you fucker, they have 100 years to do it.[/quote]
And we have industrial machinery.
[quote]Tropical Disease is a wonderful thing.[/quote]
And we have modern medical science.
[quote]Over 28,000 people died in the construction so yeah.[/QUOTE]
What do you want to bet that no more than a few hundred will die?
I bet you not even 100 people will die building the canal.
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;40955933]It is true. Nearly 6000 people died in 2000 in mining in China, whilst in 2012, it dropped to under 2000.
Also 1% of 27,500 is 275. 275 is a considerable number, and I don't think China will surpass that.
[editline]9th June 2013[/editline]
And we have industrial machinery.
And we have modern medical science.
What do you want to bet that no more than a few hundred will die?
I bet you not even 100 people will die building the canal.[/QUOTE]
I'll bet you 300 dollars in 2013 exchange rate for USD that by half the time they have the lease for, 2063, at least 100 people will die in the project.
[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;40955965]I'll bet you 300 dollars in 2013 exchange rate for USD that by half the time they have the lease for, 2063, at least 100 people will die in the project.[/QUOTE]
How about, at least 100 will die before the official opening?
Even the panama canal didn't take 50 years.
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;40955979]How about, at least 100 will die before the official opening?
Even the panama canal didn't take 50 years.[/QUOTE]
It still took at least 40.
[editline]8th June 2013[/editline]
And this is something ten times as long.
[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;40955997]It still took at least 40.
[editline]8th June 2013[/editline]
And this is something ten times as long.[/QUOTE]
I somewhat doubt it will take 400 years.
Canal building will be the 21st century's space race, superpowers will be brought to their knees from the money spent on building competing canals.
The Panema Canal was built in the late 1800s to the 1900s, with a century of medical science and improvements in construction tech of fucking course the Chinese can accomplish this with less casualties and in most likely a shorter time frame.
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;40956019]I somewhat doubt it will take 400 years.[/QUOTE]
I never said it would. I'm saying that they will take at least a chunk of the 100 years they are given.
[editline]8th June 2013[/editline]
[QUOTE=luverofJ!93;40956035]Canal building will be the 21st century's space race, superpowers will be brought to their knees from the money spent on building competing canals.[/QUOTE]
CANAL FROM UKRAINIAN SIDE OF CAUCUS TO CASPIAN
I don't know if this would be useful, but i think considering the size of china, and how their good transportation uses mostly all means, rather by sea, plane, or truck, anything faster and more efficient to improve the logistical ways of transporting goods. The panama canal, and the Suez Canal could be a prime example, and help reach goods faster then going around the whole continent.
I went to Nicaragua one time, almost died of disease. Hope China is prepared
[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;40956059]I never said it would. I'm saying that they will take at least a chunk of the 100 years they are given.
[editline]8th June 2013[/editline]
CANAL FROM UKRAINIAN SIDE OF CAUCUS TO CASPIAN[/QUOTE]
Unless I read the article wrong they're expecting construction to take 10 years. The 100 year part is how long China gets to operate it (ie collect tolls).
This will leave..A CANAL GAP!!!
They'll be making a ton of money if they make it large enough for really large ships like US aircraft carriers or oil tankers to get through. I know aircraft carriers have to sail around the bottom of South America
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.