If containerships are the cheapest way to transport cargo, why aren’t we using canals instead of railways and highways to transport goods over land?

Question

If containerships are the cheapest way to transport cargo, why aren’t we using canals instead of railways and highways to transport goods over land?

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Answer 1

The cost to acquire land and dig such canals would negate any cost savings. Also cargo ships are most cost effective when moving HUGE amount of cargo at a time, which makes sense when going from a manufacturing hub in China to the US, but less sense when it needs to get to 100 metro areas from that main port.