Panama Canal Expansion Impacts on U.S. East Coast Ports
Open Access
- Author:
- Ulizio, Cara M
- Area of Honors:
- Supply Chain and Information Systems
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Dr. Robert Alexander Novack, Thesis Supervisor
Dr. John C. Spychalski, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- Panama Canal
Panama Canal Expansion Project
U.S. Ports
port improvements
Neo-Panamax Vessels
Boston
New York-New Jersey
Philadelphia
Baltimore
global shipping industry - Abstract:
- The Panama Canal serves as the passageway that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean which reduces vessel transit time by allowing vessels routed to the U.S. East Coast to avoid sailing around South America. In response to larger vessel sizes and the global shipping industry, the Panama Canal began an expansion project in late 2007 that was completed in May of 2016. The changes to the Panama Canal are impacting the global shipping industry, shipping traffic and individual ports. In anticipation of heightened shipping traffic, U.S. East Coast Ports heavily invested and upgraded their port capabilities. The four ports of Boston, New York-New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Baltimore are examined by analyzing their current capabilities and port improvement initiatives. Recommendations are then made to the individual ports and two strategies are discussed which can be adopted by any of the ports along the East Coast. The study concludes by looking at the relevance of the expansion of the Panama Canal and port improvements in relation to the future of the global shipping industry and increasing vessel sizes.