1. "Sabonge told the Times that there was insufficient ship traffic to support both a widened Panama Canal and a second canal in Nicaragua."
Yes, the sea-level in Nicaragua will be the only one used.
2. "project would be a joint public-private venture financed by unnamed investors..."
China... ?
Sea level? I'm pretty sure I read that the Pacific is 80 feet higher than the Atlantic. (No, I'm not going to explain it)
Russians???