A Chinese cargo ship, Zhen Hua 29, traveled over 37,000 km across three oceans over three months to deliver five giant cranes from Shanghai to Jamaica and U.S. ports. The unusually long route was required because the cranes were too tall to pass through the Panama Canal.
The voyage highlighted major logistical challenges. Navigating dangerous routes, especially around the Cape of Good Hope, and handling enormous cranes at sea underscored the complexity of international heavy-lift transportation.
The delivery also exposes a critical vulnerability: around 80% of U.S. port cranes are made in China. Experts warn this reliance could create significant logistical and national security risks, revealing how dependent American ports are on Chinese equipment.
