The Panama Canal has long been one of the most important routes for global shipping. It’s a narrow passageway that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, saving ships from having to sail all the way around the tip of South America.

More than 100 years after the construction of the engineering marvel that linked the Atlantic and Pacific oceans — and 25 years after the canal was returned to Panama by the US — the Panama Canal faces renewed intimidation from US President Donald Trump.

The canal, which was once owned by the United States but was handed over to Panama decades ago, gives vessels a much shorter route between the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. While the two countries could end up resolving the issue,