Expanding the Panama Canal could greatly benefit Ohio and would allow larger ships to travel through the East Coast.

Cincinnati.com reports the $5 billion expansion project should be complete by next year and is predicted to boost economic gains in the Midwest and on the East Coast.

"It really improves our position in terms of distribution out and shipping our products internationally," said Chris Manegold, CEO of the Economic Development Alliance of Southern Ohio.

The Ohio River could receive goods from the canal as ships make their way through the U.S. via the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River or the East Coast and the Port of Virginia.

The 100-year-old waterway has been under construction since 2007. With the expansion, larger ships carrying double the amount of goods as current ships using the canal could pass through.

"The mantra is to get to water as fast and as long as you can ... Goods can stay on the boat much longer, decreasing cost and travel time by a day or two," Manegold said.

He added that the expansion will help ships from Asia avoid routes plagued with pirates and remain on the water longer.

Ohio would benefit from the expansion because larger ships passing through with more goods means there will be more goods on the state's railroads, trucks and rivers.

It also means the development of more warehouses and distribution centers as more items like electronics and toys are shipped from Asia.

The Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth has been key properties for development of heavy manufacturing. Although nothing is yet promised, the company has begun working with communities and an engineering firm along the Ohio River.

A recent study proves that the Panama Canal is most likely to capture about 25 percent of the ship traffic from the West Coast and attract a much larger number of alien species.

The more exposure a port has to alien species, the higher the risk of invasion.

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