The construction of the canal in Nicaragua is a kind of alternative to the Panama Highway, which connects the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean. For the first time, the idea of combining two huge reservoirs appeared in the 16th century, and its actual implementation began only in the last century in the region of the Isthmus of Panama. For the construction, the narrowest piece of land was selected, on which a water passage was built. During the construction, a sophisticated system of locks was used, which managed to raise huge vessels to a height of 26 meters above sea level. The construction of the canal in Nicaragua officially began only in December 2014, and the project implementation period is tentatively estimated at a decade.
Nicaraguan Canal in History
The conversations that marked the beginning of the world's largest construction project were initially focused on arranging the waterway in Nicaragua. The idea was hindered by the fact that the width of the Isthmus of Panama is 4 times smaller than the northern section of San Juan del Norte, where it was previously planned to transfer the vessel from one huge reservoir to another. The attractiveness of the project was that on the Nicaraguan site there are absolutely no mountains and huge granite rocks. The Saint-Juan River, which previously abounded in rifts, was completely reconstructed by the Americans in the past and is no longer an obstacle to construction; rather, on the contrary, it accompanies it.
Channel economic appeal
The Interoceanic Canal in Nicaragua aroused interest in the 19th century, when its technical structure was described in detail by Louis Napoleon himself. The idea was picked up by the Americans, then repulsed by the French, who had authority thanks to the Suez Canal. The French project failed. Here we will indent and pay attention to the fact that two canal routes were considered in the past, and in the end in 1914 the Panama Sea Route appeared. Its analogy, the Nicaraguan Canal, began to be built only at the end of 2014. The economic attractiveness of the latter is that his brother is actively flourishing.
Turnover is systematically increasing. The project is aimed at saving. The construction of the canal in Nicaragua will reduce the distance between many economic centers, in particular, between New York and San Francisco, the path will be reduced by 800 kilometers. Back in 2006, Enrique Bolaños, president of Nicaragua at that time, at a state summit, announced that his country was ready to fully develop the project.
The train moved
The Grand Canal of Nicaragua for many years remained nothing more than just talk. Only in 2012, the government began to take actual actions in this direction. In July 2012, a contract was signed to develop technical and economic feasibility studies for the construction with a price of 720 thousand dollars. In September 2012, a memorandum was signed in Hong Kong, indicating the feasibility of construction and determining the economic, environmental and technological consequences. The project was planned to be financed by investors from different parts of the world. At the moment, China remains the main sponsor of the idea. The Canal of Nicaragua became the basis for creating a huge number of jobs not only for residents of the state, but also for the population of other countries of Central America.
What prompted the implementation of the project many years ago?
The activation of the construction of the multi-year project was due to the global growth of maritime trade systems. If you do not expand the water network of connections, after 15 years there will be problems with transportation through the Panama Canal. Experts predict that by 2030 the sea freight traffic will increase by at least 240%. In June 2013, a bill was passed in Nicaragua, according to which the concession is granted to the HKND Group. It will be she who will be engaged in the implementation of the idea in the next decade. From the moment of transfer of the right to implement the project until the end of 2014, financial issues were resolved.
Difficulties encountered
The construction of the canal in Nicaragua was begun after solving a huge number of issues and overcoming many obstacles. Throughout the history of the development of the project, active PR wars were waged against it by America. It is difficult to say unequivocally what caused this behavior and the indignation of a great state, but a number of points are worth noting. Rumors were constantly circulating about the owner of the concessionaire company. Wang Jing was accused of his incompetence. Actively disseminated information that the construction of the canal in Nicaragua would not bring any economic benefits. Clearly presented were the facts of a decrease in the volume of sea freight. Even the well-known environmental organizations took part in the PR war. None of the provocations of that time succeeded, and the project officially started on December 22, 2014.
Interests of the world
The construction of a new canal in Nicaragua is largely sponsored by China, since the facility is of strategic importance to the state. This is explained by the need for large-scale deliveries of oil and other commodities from the territory of South America. For the Chinese economy, the launch of the channel will be a real breakthrough. For many countries, the project will open up great prospects for development. The President of the country has repeatedly said that the new project of the canal in Nicaragua will accompany an increase in GDP per capita until the moment the state becomes one of the wealthiest in the world. As for Russia, its government is considering the project as an alternative route from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic, but no more.
The role of Russia in the construction of the canal
At first glance, Russia is not very interested in the channel itself. As mentioned above, for the country it is nothing more than an alternative. On the other hand, state support for construction will play a significant role in the political sphere. By participating in the implementation of the idea, Russia will confirm its commitment to a multipolar world that is closed to monopolization and double standards. In November 2013, the government formally invited Russia to participate and invest assets in order to build a canal in Nicaragua. It’s problematic to determine Russia's participation in the project today due to lack of information, but back in 2013, government representatives readily agreed to the proposal and announced that they could take on the supply of specialized equipment, structures and building materials.
The construction of the inter-ocean canal in Nicaragua as a way for China and Russia to oppose the United States: an alternative development
Experts are considering a very interesting version about the true reason for the construction of the canal. Covert, but always obvious, was the fact that it was America that controlled the Panama Canal, and Panama itself acted as its protectorate. The path between the two largest oceans is seen by a certain percentage of experts as the unification of Russia and China against the backdrop of the upcoming clash with the United States in connection with the latest economic events in the world. It should be noted that China was granted a concession not only for the construction of the canal, but also for its use in the next hundred years. To date, Russian industry companies are not officially involved in the construction, but this trend remains in development. It is problematic to judge how such a motive for the participation of countries in construction is true. The only obvious economic benefit from the project for a wide range of world states.
Russia's commitment
Many economists explain Russia's commitment to not only the high cost of the project ($ 40 billion, which are the ears for the construction of the Panama Canal). The essence of the partnership is that it was Nicaragua that supported the country and was included in the list of 11 states that voted for Russia's position in the UN related to the issues of holding a referendum in Crimea. The UN General Assembly at that time adopted a resolution according to which the referendum in the territory of Crimea was declared illegal. As a result of the vote, only 11 countries supported the meeting, 100 voted against the referendum and 58 abstained. This laid the foundation for close cooperation between 11 states that opposed the majority: Belarus and Armenia, Syria and Cuba, North Korea and Sudan, Zimbabwe and Bolivia, Venezuela and Nicaragua.
What privileges did Russia receive from the partnership?
After the start of construction on December 22, Russia received permission to deploy its warships in the territorial waters of the state with the construction of all strategic facilities in order to be able to observe how the canal is being built in Nicaragua. Russia's participation in the construction of the century is estimated ambiguously. There are versions according to which China fully sponsors the construction of a new canal in Nicaragua. The country provides its territories, and Russia exclusively has the defense function of the object. To judge in this situation is clearly impossible, since there is an almost complete lack of information, and experts in economics and politics can provide the public only with their fictitious versions of what is happening.
Mythic construction
The construction of a new canal in Nicaragua will be the largest global project in recent decades. The cost of such an idea is estimated at $ 40 billion. It is planned to launch the project into operation already in 2019, and the final completion of the implementation is planned for 2039. As part of the construction, it is planned to build two innovative ports, an airport, an oil pipeline and other commercial structures. The implementation of the project will make a significant contribution to the development of the global economy, push many countries to prosperity and bring significant benefits to millions. But what about the Panama Canal? Nicaragua is trying to create an analogue that in the future will have no equal. In a few years we will see if this venture succeeded.