Panama has taken control of two major ports linked to the Panama Canal after its Supreme Court ruled that a decades-long concession held by the Hong Kong-based corporation CK Hutchison was unconstitutional. Hong Kong officials criticized the move and defended the company, while Panama said port operations would continue uninterrupted under government oversight.
The decision has renewed attention on the canal itself and Panama’s control over the strategic waterway. It has been more than 20 years since Panama assumed full authority over the Panama Canal from the United States, which had controlled it since 1903. Recently expanded to accommodate larger vessels, the canal remains one of the seven wonders of the modern world. Its construction, however, is a story marked by danger, disease, tragedy, and triumph.
Browse this gallery for an illustrated history of this unique waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.