The Interoceanic Corridor: Mexico's Attempt at a Panama Canal

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[chrismiller]

There are 3 classes of containerships that don't fit through the Panama Canal:
VLCS (Very Large Containership) - fisrt built in 2006 with a capacity of 11, 000 to 15, 000 TEUs
ULCS (Ultra Large Containership) - first built in 2013 with a capacity of 18, 000 to 21, 000 TEUs
MGX-24 (expanded capacity ULCS) - first built in 2019 with a capacity of 21, 000 to 25, 000 TEUs
a TEU is a standard 20 ft long container and a single rail car can hold 4 (2 long x2 high). It would require 2750 rail cars to move the cargo of the smallest capacity ship that can't fit through the canal. A typical longer train is 120 cars but can be upwards of 200 cars so it would require about 14 trains. The largest ship would require 6250 rail cars and require about 22 trains at about 200 cars each.

[ylu]

- "What shall we put on the first train testing out the upgraded railway?"

- "2 tanks of Hydrofluoric Acid"

Absolute gigachad move right there!

[pengyfelix]

More Megaproject videos on infrastructure, please! These break up the monotony of Military Vehicle Of The Week vids.

[patrickmurphy]

Panama is also having a drought that has caused it to decrease ship traffic through the canal due to its reliance on fresh water to power the canal it uses a staggering amount of water to move ships through it everyday.

[nolongerblocked]

I'd love to see a prosperous Mexico

[ryhanpeacefeather]

Well! I am one of the many people who never heard of this project. Very exciting prospects. Thanks for the video!

[firehazardentertainment]

Fun fact: In the 1880s, a Canadian Businessman by the name of Henry Ketchum attempted to create a similar rail system to transport ships from the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the Bay of Fundy, forming what was then known as the Chignecto Marine Railway Corporation. Due to several factors, the biggest of which was the failure of Barrings Bank in London, the planned railway would fall short of its goal at 75% completion. What remains of the project can still be seen today in the form of several docks and stone bridges, one of which is included in a walking trail on the Gulf of Saint Lawrence side of Nova Scotia.

[KentBunn]

One other fun side effect of the Mexican corridor option is it can be used as an end run around the Jones Act. If Cargo begins and ends in the US, but is unloaded in Mexico, and re-loaded in Mexiico on the other coast, then it's no longer an issue to adhere to Jones shipping rules for US flagged ships, etc.

[centredoorplugsthornton]

The trains shown at 7:20 are not the Interoceanic but the Tren Maya, Mexico's other big rail project, connecting Cancun, Campeche and Palenque.

[mercenarygrip]

Absolutely amazing amount of words considering the amazing lack of pertinent information.

[ASmithee]

It's well known that in terms of shipping costs it goes water/sea --> rail --> truck --> air. The new Mexican rail could possibly be an supplement to the Panama canal, but not.a replacement.

[ericktellez]

It’s not meant to replace the canal, it’s supposed to work in tandem with the canal, taking load and pressure from the canal that has been hurt by drought for the past couple of years. Also the main attraction is the industrial parks being build alongside the trains, basically bring in parts or the materials and then creating the cargo or half of it in there and then send it to the other side in trains.

[martinstallard]

2:39 new world new route
6:15 the modern project begins
9:22 economic and cultural impact

[danielintheantipodes]

If I was going on a cruise I would still want to transit the Panama Canal for the experience. Thank you for the video!

[williamlloyd]

Think the corridor was always meant to serve to kickstart a new industrial district where Chinese and other countries could export subassemblies products to for final assembly and export within the NAFTA framework. Mexico needs to expand the areas that can provide jobs and this is a good start.
PS - if something should impact the Panama Canal, so much the better.

[venox]

I work in the industry, there is already a very efficient railroad from Balboa to Manzanillo Panama that carries cargo from Pacific to Atlantic Ocean and there is no way in hell can move 10K + container efficiently as a container vessels. The Mexico railroad could happen but never replace the canal. The demand just isn’t there.

[Grynslvr]

Over 50 years ago, in a social studies class in high school, the teacher mentioned that the U.S. had a contingency plan for building a better canal through Nicaragua, using at least one of its large lakes and maybe some rivers. Anyone else remember this?

[duncancurtis]

No word on Chinese dosh being bunged to pay for it. Nice to see HSTs getting a new use.

[poodlescone]

This corridor will not displace the Panama Canal. It will be for everyone who can afford the time and effort to offload cargo in Mexico first. Many people will still not want to offload cargo ships when they can transit the Panama Canal such as ships to Europe.

[davidponce]

Worked on setting up the interoceanic rail first shippent mid 2024. Shippment consisted of domestic white corn.