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From This Collection

The Port of Los Angeles gives a lesson in mega ships

Aug 24, 2016
East Coast ports can learn a lot from Los Angeles about handling giant ships.
The CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin, the largest container ship to ever call at a North America port, is docked at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, California.
SCOTT VARLEY/AFP/Getty Images

Panama tries to shake off "Panama Papers" brand

Panama has just opened a new, wider canal, but less cause for celebration is its reputation as a go-to spot for hiding money.
A guard sits outside the headquarters of Mossack Fonseca in Panama City.
Justin Ho/Marketplace

The canal has made Panama rich, but inequality persists

With over a quarter of its citizens in poverty, Panama has one of the worst income distributions in Latin America.
The view of downtown Panama City from Boca la Caja, a former fishing village.
Bill Lancz/Marketplace

Digital trade is booming

Jun 27, 2016
The flow of data across borders contributes more to global GDP than trade in physical goods.
Cross-border bandwidth is 45 times larger than in 2005, according to McKinsey & Company.
verkeorg/Flickr

Have we reached peak trade?

If trade growth stalls, what does that mean for the American worker?
The Port of Balboa, viewed from the Diablo neighborhood, located in the former Panama Canal Zone.
Bill Lancz/Marketplace

What happens when shipping lines build for growth that never comes

The shipping industry is seeing prices collapse as slowing global trade growth drags down demand.
A container ship exits the Panama Canal toward the Pacific Ocean, with the Balboa Yacht Club in the fore.
Justin Ho/Marketplace

Inching global trade growth, through the eyes of a Caterpillar

Heavy equipment maker Caterpillar is facing declines on par with those it faced during the Great Recession.
The Port of Balboa on Panama's Pacific entrance, viewed from Ancon Hill.
Justin Ho/Marketplace

For public good, not for profit.

Panama Canal expands as trade falls flat

A new, wider channel will allow bigger ships to pass through. But how many will come?
AAL's Kobe ship squeezes through the current Panama Canal locks.
David Brancaccio/Marketplace