The Panama Canal is an important passage connecting the Pacific Ocean with the Atlantic Ocean. It is not only the world's leading artery, but also an important partner of countries such as the United States and China. The jam was not only a ship lying on the waterway, but also because the canal was not navigable due to the lack of water level. The incident has aroused the attention of the global economy, because the smooth flow of the Panama Canal directly affects the global ** pattern.
The Panama Canal has a unique location, connecting the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, which is a great convenience for **. Due to its advantages such as short transportation distance, short time, and low cost, many ships choose to transport goods through the Panama Canal. The smooth flow of the Panama Canal is directly related to the development of the world** and the economy.
The Panama Canal was designed because of the difference in the height of the waters of the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. In order to solve the problem of inconsistent sea heights, the designers constructed an artificial freshwater lake, Gatun Lake. When the boat passes through the lifting and lowering process of multiple locks, it needs to use the water of Gatun Lake to achieve this. However, with each rise and fall, the lake's fresh water is lost, resulting in a decrease in the amount of water.
Under normal circumstances, Lake Gatun takes in 15 million cubic meters of water per day, while the daily water loss is about 10 million cubic meters, and the remaining 5 million cubic meters are used to replenish. However, due to the El Niño phenomenon, Panama has suffered from a severe drought in recent years, and the amount of water is insufficient**, which has led to a drop in the water level of Lake Gatun. Currently, the water level in Lake Gatun has dropped by 21 meter, compared with the previous expected water level, the daily loss is nearly 3 million cubic meters.
The navigability of the Panama Canal was limited due to the drop in water levels. In the past, the Panama Canal was filled with about 1 ship per year30,000 ships, an average of about 35 ships per day. However, due to the drop in water levels, only 25 boats can currently pass per day. It is expected that the number of ships passing through will be further reduced next year. This restriction has led to congestion of passing vessels, which has seriously affected the operation of the world.
Japan's bid for the right to cut the queue cost 27 million yuan, which was questioned as a big wrong. However, from another point of view, the right to cut in line is also of great significance to Japan. As an import-dependent economy, Japan's energy security** is critical. As a result, they fear that the blockage of the Panama Canal will cause a global oil and gas spike, further increasing energy costs. In order to ensure its own energy security, Japan is willing to spend ** to buy the right to cut in the queue to ensure that ships have priority through the Panama Canal.
The Panama Canal Authority collects not only tolls but also freshwater fees. In the past, the Canal Authority supplemented the water volume of Gatun Lake by charging a freshwater fee. In addition, during dry periods, falling water levels can lead to the imposition of freshwater surcharges. It can be said that the Panama Canal Authority has the opportunity to gain more wealth with the help of this drop in water levels.
The problem facing the Panama Canal is not just the falling water level, but also the competition from the Arctic shipping lanes. As global warming causes the melting of Arctic glaciers, the transportation value of the Arctic shipping lanes has become apparent. The opening of the Arctic shipping route will bring the world's largest economies closer together, and the Panama Canal's location will no longer be obvious. The current problems facing the Panama Canal can only be dealt with temporarily, and there is no long-term solution. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Panama Canal Authority has taken the opportunity to reap more economic benefits.
As an important passage in the world, the Panama Canal has a direct impact on the global economy. Due to the drop in water levels, the navigable capacity of the Panama Canal is currently limited, and congestion of ships is frequent. Japan spent a lot of money to bid for the right to cut into the queue, mainly to ensure its own energy security. The Panama Canal Authority is actively reaping additional economic benefits by taking advantage of the water volume problem. Faced with competition for the Arctic shipping lanes, the Panama Canal faces no small challenges. A fundamental solution to the Panama Canal problem remains to be explored, which is an important issue for the world.