Before the canal's construction, merchants traveled around South America's Cape Horn to reach destinations between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The Panama Canal saves time and money by eliminating thousands of miles from trade routes.
In 2009, traffic through the Panama Canal totaled 14,342, resulting in more than 1.4 billion tonnage-based tolls. The United States ranks first as a port of origin and destination for cargo transported through the canal.
A variety of cargo is shipped through the canal, including food products, building materials, textiles and fuels. In 2009, 116,283 tons of principal commodities were shipped from the Atlantic to the Pacific via the southern route and 81,713 tons were transported from the Pacific to the Atlantic.
According to the Panama Canal Authority, traffic through the Panama Canal makes up approximately five percent of the world's trade, offering passage to ships of all nations.
