2. Literature review
The number of studies comparing the competitive roles of
canals or waterways is rather small. Related studies include those
that have investigated the competition of a waterway against
another waterway or land route. Canals and trade routes maintain
their competitive advantages by providing a shortcut to countries,
for example, the Panama and Suez canals, or a deep channel for
accessing resources, for example, the Cape of Good Hope. In the
1970s and 1980s, a few studies analysed the competition between
and complementary nature of canals or trade routes. After the Suez
Canal had been closed, Gradus (1977) investigated whether the
Negev Desert could be an alternative to the Suez Canal. That study
compared cargo traffic between the desert route and the canal for
the period from the closure of the Suez Canal to its reopening, and
analysed the reasons for the failure of this continental bridge.
The dominant interoceanic canals have formed relatively stable
shipping patterns during their existence. Over the last two decades,