[RayChuang88]

The bad thing is that China may just pull the plug and get oil from other places--it costs a lot of money to ship oil from Venezuela to China, especially if you have to use supertankers that can't fit through the Panama Canal (it's a long trip around Cape Horn back to China!).

[Sherman Logan]

(it's a long trip around Cape Horn back to China!).

True. Probably why nobody would take that route.

Via Panama, about 10,000 miles.

Via Cape Horn, about 15,000 miles.

Via S. Africa, about 12,500 miles.

Interesting site. http://www.sea-distances.org/