As the global economic landscape evolves and shifts, companies seek out new sourcing locations and growth opportunities in worldwide markets. Global expansion brings about new supply chain challenges and complexity that can vary by market and country. In North America, companies are looking for closer sourcing locations, greater efficiency, and opportunities to grow their export business. Latin America, due to its proximity, emerging market growth, and attractive free-trade agreements (FTA), as well as preferential agreements with the U.S. has made it a desirable trade region.

CMA CGM is upgrading the frequency of its Round the World Panama Direct Service from fortnightly to weekly, beginning Sept. 18.

In a placid lagoon about a mile inland from the Atlantic coast in southeast Nicaragua, the mast of Cornelius Vanderbilt's dredge boat rises out of the water. The railroad tycoon abandoned it along with his dream of building an inter-oceanic canal in the 1850s. More than 160 years and several failed plans later, Wang Jing, a 40-year-old Chinese telecommunications billionaire, has emerged as the next mogul to give it a go.

South and Central America are significant growth markets for retailers with seven countries - Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Peru, Panama, Colombia and Mexico - ranked in the 2013 A.T. Kearney Global Retail Development Index.

As manufacturers consider shifting production from China back to the West, the U.S. could become an economically viable alternative faster than you think.