In June the Panama Canal splashed onto front pages for the first time since the U.S. handed it back to Panama in 1999. If it were a household product, the banner would read: "New and improved!" Panama authorities unveiled a $5 billion-plus new set of locks and channels to handle larger ships alongside the original canal. The new locks are longer — 1,400 feet — and wider — 180 feet — than the original 1,000-foot-long by 110-foot-wide canal, which opened more than a century ago. The new locks are also deeper, by 18 feet, all to accommodate bigger, heavier ships.