Side by side

Ships have a choice: traverse the canal and pay the fees required to do so or go around South America. It is 50 miles through the canal and almost 8,000 for the alternate. We were told it would be the difference between paying about $200,000 and about $2 million. Also, eight hours or three weeks. There are three locks in and three out and each lock has two sides. They travel one way in the morning and the other in the afternoon.