Panama Canal

The shortcut that saved ships 12,500 km around South America/Bridges & Tunnels

The Panama Canal slices through the Isthmus of Panama, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans across 82 kilometers. Completed in 1914 after a decade of construction (and a failed French attempt before that), it uses a system of locks to raise ships 26 meters above sea level through Gatun Lake. About 14,000 ships transit the canal each year, each paying an average toll of around $150,000. The most expensive single transit toll was $829,468.