The Isthmian Canal Situation

General interest in needs for additional Isthmian canal facilities has been actively renewed. The factors which limit the capacity of the Panama Canal and the criteria upon which a forecast of the probable traffic increase is made, from the bases for a graphical method for predicting the saturation point of the existing installation. The conclusion is reached that the Panama Canal (argumented by the pending Alhajuela Reservoir development) will be adequate to handle all probable traffic until 1970. The choice for additional facilities to be provided to meet future traffic needs is limited to the construction of additional locks at Panama and the opening of a new canal route via Nicaragua. The relative advantages and disadvantages of these alternatives are discussed from the present-day view-point. From this comparison, the installation of more locks at Panama is the logical method for supplying future needs for additional Isthmian canal facilities.