Good news for civil engineering the announcement government Bill that promotes the enlargement of the Panama Canal. A project cost, of about 5 billion euros.
The Northwest Passage is open NOW! - September 15, 2007.
Yes it will close up again this winter - but the passage is available now and will be open longer each summer as global warming continues.
Beat me to it. The original (high resolution) photos showing the Northwest passage as well as the Northeast Passage (partly closed, but the Russians have ice-breakers).
Also, comparison slide show of Arctic ice for 2005, 2006 & 2007:
The canal is going to be built wider. It's the only reliable year around way that China can bypass the American trucking and rail industries to get their goods directly to the east coast of Mexico and the US. It all translates to $$$. This is one of the many facets of the North American Union that is coming.
