Ship canal
A
ship canal is a
canal especially constructed to carry
ocean-going
ships, as opposed to
barges. Ship canals can be enlarged barge canals,
canalised or
channelized rivers, or canals especially constructed from the start to accommodate ships.
For a canal to qualify as a ship canal, it must have a minimum depth of at least
5 metres (16.4 feet), although many are much deeper. The purpose of a ship canal is: # To create a shortcut and avoid lengthy detours. # To create a navigable shipping link between two land-locked seas or lakes. # To provide inland cities with a direct shipping link to the sea. # To provide an economical alternative to other options.
List of important ship canals:
#
White Sea-Baltic Canal in
Russia, 141 miles (227 km) long, opened in
1933, is partly a canalised river, partly an artificial canal, and partly some natural lakes.#
Suez Canal in
Egypt, 100 miles (160 km) long, opened in
1869, links the
Mediterranean Sea to the
Red Sea.#
Volga-Don Canal in
Russia, 62 miles (100 km) long, opened in
1952, connects the
Black,
Azov, and
Caspian Seas.#
Kiel Canal in
Germany, 60 miles (98 km) long, opened in
1895. Shortens the passage between the
North Sea and the
Baltic Sea.#
Houston Ship Canal in the
USA, 56 miles (91 km) long, connects
Houston, Texas to the
Gulf of Mexico.#
Alphonse XIII Canal in
Spain, 53 miles (85 km) long, opened in
1926, mostly canalised river. Links
Seville to the
Gulf of Cadiz.#
Panama Canal in
Panama, 51 miles (82 km) long, opened in
1914. Links the
Caribbean Sea to the
Pacific Ocean, creating a shortcut.#
Manchester Ship Canal in
England, 35 miles (57 km) long, opened in
1894. Links
Manchester to
Irish Sea.#
Welland Canal in
Canada, 28 miles (45 km) long, opened in
1931. Links
Lake Erie to
Lake Ontario and is part of the Saint Lawrence Seaway.#
Saint Lawrence Seaway in Canada and the United States. Links
Montreal with
Lake Superior .
The standard used in the
European Union for classifying the navigability of inland waterways is the
European Agreement on Main Inland Waterways of International Importance (AGN) of
1996, adopted by The Inland Transport Committee of the
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), which defines the following classes. (This table is incomplete.)
| Draught | Length | Width | | Class III | 1,000 t | |
| Class IV | 1,350 to 1,500 t | 2.5 m | 80 m | 9.5 m |
| Class V | 2,000 t | 2.7 m | 95 m | 11.5 m |
| Class VII | 14,500 to 27,000 t |
