Traditionally, the Market Perspective section is a space for the i3 managing director or senior editor to comment on topical issues and trends in the infrastructure investment market. This month we wanted to slightly alter the format in order to focus on several changes to the i3 publication and events this year, with more to come in 2018.

Europe may be the cradle of democracy, but the past 18 months have rocked the cradle violently.

With the completion of the nine-year-long, $5.4 billion Panama Canal expansion, ports along the East Coast of the United States have seen a major jump in activity. The canal’s new ability to handle today’s mega tankers resulted in a 23 percent increase in tonnage passing through the locks. In turn, this increased activity brought tens of millions of additional dollars in tolls and fees to ports all along the East Coast, according to The Wall Street Journal.