The expansion of the Panama Canal is expected to have more
of an impact on shippers, ports and freight corridors on the East and Gulf
coasts than the West Coast, according to a newly released study by the US
Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD).
The study, which was released in late November, reports on shipping
patterns and industry costs that could help the United States prepare for the
anticipated impact on its ports, waterways and intermodal freight systems from
the Panama Canal expansion.
The expansion, scheduled for completion in 2015, will give
much larger vessels, specifically “Post Panamax” vessels, greater access to the
US ports on the East and Gulf coasts.
The Panama Canal Expansion Study, the first of a two-part report,
found the integration of Post-Panamax vessels into US trade lanes will have
substantial implications for the nation’s shippers, ports and surface freight
corridors, particularly along the East Coast, Gulf Coast and inland states
located east of the Mississippi River.
The report also found that more cost-effective service
generated by the larger vessels could improve the ability of some US exports, such
as grain, coal, petroleum products and liquefied natural gas, to compete in
global markets.
However, shifts in shipping patterns impacting the national
transportation system are expected to occur slowly and over time.
“Preparation is the key, and we’re already seeing it,”
Acting Maritime Administrator Chip Jaenichen said. “Increased cargo means
expanded capacity, and forward-looking ports are deepening their harbors and
improving their intermodal connections.”
The full Panama Canal Expansion Study can be found at
