Shipping canals are like giant water roads. People built them to help big ships move faster and easier. These canals connect different bodies of water, such as seas, lakes, and rivers. They give ships a shorter way to travel, saving time and money. Canals also help control how ships move within countries.
There are hundreds of shipping canals worldwide. They are different sizes — some are long, some wide, and some deep. Many ships use these canals daily to get where they need to go.
Some of these canals are super busy, like big highways for ships. They’re essential because they help move goods around the world. Without these canals, ships would have to take longer routes, making everything slower and more expensive.
Let’s get started to learn about it!
Table of Content
1. Panama Canal
2. Suez Canal
3. Corinth Canal
4. Kiel Canal
5. Rhine–Main–Danube Canal
6. Grand Canal
7. Kan. Belomoro-Baltiyskiy
8. Erie Canal
9. Houston Ship Channel
10. Volga-Don Canal
11. Strait of Hormuz
12. Bosphorus Strait
13. Caledonian Canal
14. Welland Canal
15. Göta Canal
Here are some essential shipping canals:
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a significant waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It’s about 80 kilometers long and cuts through a narrow part of land between North and South America. The canal uses special locks that work like water elevators. These locks lift ships from sea level to Gatun Lake, which is 26 meters higher.
There are three sets of locks: Gatun on the Atlantic side and Pedro Miguel and Miraflores on the Pacific side. Each lock is 33.53 meters wide and 304.8 meters long. The most giant ships that can use the canal are 32.3 meters wide, 12 meters deep, and 294.1 meters long.
Water from Gatun Lake flows down into the locks to raise and lower ships. It moves through big pipes under the lock chambers. The narrowest part of the canal is Culebra Cut, which is about 13.7 kilometres long and passes through rock and shale.
Ships from all over the world use the Panama Canal every day. About 13,000 to 14,000 boats pass through yearly, making up about 5% of world trade. The canal has about 9,000 workers and runs all day, every day of the year.
The canal is getting even more significant. New locks are being built to handle bigger ships. These new locks will allow ships up to 365.8 meters long, 48.8 meters wide, and 15.2 meters deep to use the canal. These immense ships can carry up to 13,000 containers.
The Panama Canal helps ships save time and money by avoiding long trips around South America. It’s an essential global trade link connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. As ships get bigger, the canal keeps growing to meet world trade needs.
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal is a significant waterway in Egypt. It connects two seas: the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. This canal helps ships travel faster between Europe and Asia. Instead of going around Africa, ships can now take a shorter route.
The canal opened on November 17, 1869, and took ten years to build. Thanks to this canal, ships save about 7,000 kilometres on their journey. In 2015, a new canal section opened to improve it even further.
The canal starts at Port Said in the north and ends at Port Tewfik in the south. Ismailia is a city in the middle of the canal. In 2012, 17,225 ships used the canal — that’s about 47 ships every day!
The canal was 164 km long and 8 m deep when it was first built. After many changes, it’s 193.30 km long, 24 m deep, and 205 meters wide. The canal has three parts:
1. A 22 km northern access channel
2. The central canal, which is 162.25 km long
3. A 9 km southern access channel
The canal has only one lane, but ships can pass each other in some places. There are no locks in the canal. Seawater flows freely through it — the water flow changes with the seasons and tides.
Egypt owns and manages the canal through the Suez Canal Authority (SCA). Ships from all countries can use the canal in peace or war.
In 2014, Egypt started making the canal even bigger. This project cost $8.4 billion. Egyptians helped pay for it by buying special certificates. The new, more extensive canal opened on August 6, 2015. Now, twice as many ships can use the canal every day.
The Suez Canal is essential for world trade. It makes shipping faster and cheaper, helping countries do business with each other more easily.
Corinth Canal
Have you ever heard of the Corinth Canal? It’s a calm waterway in Greece that connects two big bodies of water. Let’s learn about this fantastic canal and the area around it!
The Corinth Canal is like a big water road that cuts through the Isthmus of Corinth. It joins the Gulf of Corinth on one side with the Saronic Gulf on the other. People have been trying to cross this land for a very long time.
Way back in 600 BCE, a ruler named Periander he had a clever idea. He built a unique railway to move small boats across the land. They put the ships on wheeled carts and rolled them along grooves. This worked for hundreds of years!
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But people wanted something better. In 1882, they started digging the canal we see today. It took 11 years to finish, and in 1893, ships could finally sail through it.
The canal is pretty impressive:
- It’s 6.3 kilometers (3.9 miles) long
- The water is 8 meters (26 feet) deep
- It’s between 21 and 25 meters (69 to 82 feet) wide
This canal helps ships save a lot of time. Before, they had to go around a big piece of land called the Peloponnese. Now, they can take a shortcut through the canal!
The Isthmus of Corinth, where the canal is located, is an interesting place. It connects the Peloponnese to the rest of Greece. Long ago, it was an important spot for sports. The Isthmian Games were held here every two years.
The Corinth Canal is part of an immense sea called the Mediterranean Sea. This sea stretches from the Atlantic Ocean all the way to Asia. It separates Europe from Africa and has been very important in history.
The Mediterranean Sea:
- Is about 2,500 miles (4,000 km) long from west to east
- Is about 500 miles (800 km) wide from north to south
- Covers an area of about 970,000 square miles (2,510,000 square km)
The Mediterranean connects to other seas, too. It joins the Atlantic Ocean through a narrow path called the Strait of Gibraltar. Some waterways connect it to the Black Sea, and the Suez Canal connects it to the Red Sea.
The Corinth Canal and the Mediterranean Sea have significantly influenced how people travel and trade. They’ve helped shape the world we live in today!
Kiel Canal
Have you ever heard of an extensive water road for boats? That’s what the Kiel Canal is! It’s a critical waterway in northern Germany. This canal is like a shortcut that connects two big seas — the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.
The Kiel Canal is 98 kilometres (61 miles) long. It starts at Brunsbüttelkoog on the North Sea and ends at Holtenau on the Baltic Sea. Ships love using this canal because it’s:
• The safest way to go
• The most convenient route
• The shortest path
• The cheapest option
Over the years, people have made the canal bigger twice. It’s super wide — 160 meters (526 feet) across! It’s also pretty deep, at 11 meters (37 feet). Imagine that’s as deep as a three-story building!
The canal has some cool bridges, too. Seven big bridges cross it. These bridges are high enough for big ships to pass under them, and there is about 43 meters (140 feet) of space between the water and the bridge.
At each end of the canal, there are big locks. These locks are like giant water elevators for ships. They’re 45 meters (146 feet) wide and 327 meters (1,072 feet) long. That’s longer than three football fields!
People built the Kiel Canal between 1887 and 1895. At first, it was mostly for German military ships, which meant they didn’t have to travel all the way around Denmark anymore. Later, from 1907 to 1914, workers made the canal even bigger so it could accommodate huge navy ships.
The canal has a long history. After World War I, a considerable agreement called the Treaty of Versailles opened the canal for ships from all countries. But in 1936, a man named Adolf Hitler said Germany wouldn’t follow those rules anymore. After World War II, the canal returned to being open for everyone.
Today, the Kiel Canal is still very important. Many ships use it to travel to and from the Baltic Sea. It’s like a busy water highway, helping move people and things across Europe!
Rhine–Main–Danube Canal
The Rhine-Main-Danube Canal is a major waterway connecting two essential rivers in Germany. It runs for 106 miles between the towns of Bamburg and Kelheim, passing through the famous city of Nuremberg. This canal lets ships travel from the North Sea to the Black Sea, creating a huge 2,175-mile water route that passes through 15 countries!
Building the canal was a tremendous job. It has 16 big locks that help ships navigate the hills. Each lock is about 625 feet long, 40 feet wide, and up to 100 feet deep. At its highest point, the canal is 1,332 feet above sea level.
People have wanted to build this canal for a very long time. In 793, a king named Charlemagne tried to dig a channel between two rivers. But it didn’t work out because of heavy rain. 1837, they tried again, and in 1921, they planned an even bigger canal. But World War II caused much damage, and they had to stop.
They started building the canal we see today in the 1960s and finished it in 1992. The canal helps ships carry many things, like food, fertilizers, and metals. Every year, about 6.7 million tons of goods travel on the canal. In busy years, it can be up to 9 million tons!
The canal also helps move goods and is great for tourism. In 2010, 657 passenger ships used the canal. By 2016, that number almost doubled to 1,272 boats!
When ships use the canal, they have to go through the locks, which can take up to half an hour for each lock. The locks fill up or empty with water to lift or lower the ships.
One funny thing about the canal is that it has changed the types of fish that live in the rivers. Some fish from the Danube River have moved into the Main River and the other way around, too.
The Rhine-Main-Danube Canal is very helpful for moving goods and people across Europe. It shows how water can connect different places and make travel easier.
Grand Canal
The Grand Canal is a vast waterway channel in the north to east of the plains of China.
This was constructed in the 5th century BC, 1800 km (1104 mi), and is separated into 6 subsections. It is known as the world’s longest artificial waterway that links Zhejiang with Beijing. The Grand Canal passes over valleys between the Yangtze (Chang) and Huai rivers, which help to transport water to feed the country’s agricultural economy. Currently, it is used as a main means of communication or transportation between north and east China.
- Belomoro-Baltiyskiy
The White Sea-Baltic Canal, or Belomorkanal, is an extensive waterway in Russia. It opened on August 2, 1933. This canal connects the White Sea in the Arctic Ocean to Lake Onega, which leads to the Baltic Sea. Until 1961, people called it the Stalin White Sea-Baltic Canal.
Sadly, the canal has a dark past. Prisoners in labour camps, called gulags, built it. Many people died while working on the canal. Official records say between 12,000 and 25,000 people died, but some think the number could be higher.
The canal is 227 km (141 miles) long and uses some rivers and lakes along its route. Today, only 10 to 40 boats use the canal each day. It’s not very deep, only 3.5 meters (11.5 feet), which means big ships can’t use it. At first, they wanted to make it deeper, but they needed more time or money.
The canal starts near a place called Povenets on Lake Onega. It has 19 locks, which are like water stairs for boats. The highest point of the canal is 103 meters above sea level. The canal goes through five big lakes before it reaches the White Sea at Belomorsk.
Boats in the canal must follow some rules. In some parts, they can’t go faster than 8 km per hour (5 mph). When it’s hard to see, boats must stop. The canal usually opens from May 20 to October 15–30 yearly.
Even though the canal isn’t used much now, it’s an integral part of Russian history. It shows how big projects can come at a tremendous human cost. Today, the White Sea-Baltic Canal is a reminder of the past and the power of human labour, both good and bad.
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Erie Canal
The Erie Canal, built in 1825, changed America forever. This waterway connected the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, making moving people and goods across the country much easier and cheaper. The canal helped America grow westward and made New York a powerful state.
People first thought of building the canal in the 1780s. However, it took until 1817 for New York to start construction. Many people criticised the idea, calling it “Clinton’s Folly” after Governor DeWitt Clinton. But the canal was a big success when it opened on October 26, 1825. It paid for itself in just one year!
The Erie Canal was a massive project. At first, it was 363 miles long, 40 feet wide, and 4 feet deep — the second-longest canal in the world at that time. Over the years, people have made it more prominent. The modern canal is now 351 miles long, 120 feet wide, and 12 feet deep.
The canal has 34 locks to help boats climb and descend hills. The Waterford Flight has the steepest locks in the United States. Boats must climb about 565 feet from one end of the canal to the other.
The Erie Canal was busiest in 1855, with 33,000 boats using it. It stayed popular until 1902 when fees were eliminated. After that, trucks and a new waterway called the St. Lawrence Seaway took away much of its business.
Today, people mostly use the Erie Canal for fun. It connects to three other canals in New York: the Champlain, Oswego, and Cayuga-Seneca. Some boaters use it for a long trip called the Great Loop. Many people visit the canal to learn about its history. There are parks and museums along its banks. Cyclists love to ride on the New York State Canalway Trail, which follows the canal.
In 2000, the government named the Erie Canal a National Heritage Corridor, which helps protect it and share its unique story with the world.
Houston Ship Channel
The Houston Ship Channel is a large waterway connecting Houston to the Gulf of Mexico. It’s like a supersized river that ships use to carry goods in and out of the city. People made this channel by digging out and widening Buffalo Bayou and part of Galveston Bay.
The channel starts near downtown Houston at the Turning Basin and stretches about 50 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. Ships use this water highway to move oil, chemicals, and grain.
Along the channel, there are many places where ships can stop and load or unload. Some spots are public, like Turning Basin, Barbours Cut, and Bayport. Others are private and owned by big companies like ExxonMobil.
The massive channel is 530 feet wide and 45 feet deep. That’s about as wide as two football fields and as deep as a four-story building! People keep making it bigger so larger ships can use it.
The channel has been around for a long time. People started using it to move goods back in 1836. Over the years, they dug it more profound and broader. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson officially opened the Houston Ship Channel.
Today, the area around the channel is home to the second-largest petrochemical complex in the world. That means there are lots of places that make fuel and chemicals from oil.
The channel isn’t just for industry, though. It’s also home to some incredible history. The San Jacinto Monument stands near the channel. This giant tower marks where Texas won its independence from Mexico in 1836.
The Houston Ship Channel is super important for trade. It helps Houston connect with the rest of the world, bringing goods in and sending Texas products out to other countries.
Volga-Don Canal
The Lenin Volga-Don Shipping Canal is a significant waterway in Russia. It connects two important rivers, the Volga and the Don. This canal opened in 1952 and is 101 km long. It helps ships travel between the Caspian Sea and the world’s oceans.
People have used this route for trade and war for thousands of years. In 1569, the Ottoman Empire tried to build a canal here to facilitate trade with Central Asia. But they couldn’t finish it because of bad weather.
Later, a Russian leader, Peter the Great, tried to build the canal twice. His first attempt in 1696 was too short, and his second attempt from 1702 to 1707 was too shallow. Both attempts failed.
Today’s canal was built from 1948 to 1952. About 900,000 workers, including prisoners, built it. The canal has 13 locks that help ships go up and down. It can handle vessels carrying up to 5,000 tons of cargo.
The canal moves different things. Coal, minerals, and grain travel from the Don to the Volga. Wood, rocks, and oil products go from the Volga to the Don. Tourist boats also use the canal.
In 2004, ships moved 10.9 million tons of cargo through the canal. Most cargo goes from east to west. Half of all cargo is oil or oil products.
The canal is part of a more extensive system of waterways in Russia. It helps connect different parts of the country. In 2016, it even helped move a big, heavy part of a nuclear power plant.
The Volga-Don Canal is important for Russia’s trade and transport. It facilitates the movement of goods and people between different parts of the country and to other countries.
Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow strip of water connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. It’s one of the most important sea routes in the world. Iran is on one side of the strait, while Oman and the United Arab Emirates are on the other.
This waterway is about 90 miles long and ranges from 21 to 52 miles wide. It’s important because much oil and natural gas moves through it. About one-third of the world’s liquefied natural gas and almost 25% of all oil travels through the Strait of Hormuz.
Ships use special lanes to move safely through the strait. They follow a Traffic Separation Scheme, which means ships going in use one lane, and vessels going out use another. These lanes are each two miles wide and have a two-mile space between them.
The strait has been crucial for trade for hundreds of years. In the past, goods like almonds had to travel long distances to reach ports in this area.
Today, the Strait of Hormuz faces some challenges. Iran and Oman have expanded their territorial waters, meaning they claim more control over the strait. They’ve made rules about which ships can pass through and how. Some countries, like the United States, don’t agree with these rules.
The United Nations has a set of rules for sea travel called the Law of the Sea. These rules say ships should be able to pass through straits like this one. However, not all countries have agreed to follow these rules.
Despite these issues, the Strait of Hormuz remains a vital route for global trade. Its importance in moving oil and gas worldwide makes it a key focus for many countries and businesses.
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Bosphorus Strait
The Turkish Straits, known as Türk Boğazları, are two essential waterways in northwestern Turkey. These straits connect the Aegean and Mediterranean seas to the Black Sea. They include the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus, located at opposite ends of the Sea of Marmara. The straits and the Sea of Marmara are part of Turkey’s sovereign sea territory and are considered Turkish internal waters.
The Straits are in the western part of Eurasia and are seen as the boundary between Europe and Asia. They divide European Turkey from Asian Turkey. The Straits have been significant in European and world history because of their importance in trade, politics, and warfare. Since 1936, they have been governed by the Montreux Convention.
The Bosporus is a strait that links the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara, separating parts of Asian Turkey from European Turkey. It is 19 miles long and varies in width, with its narrowest point being 2,450 feet. Its depth ranges from 120 to 408 feet. A rapid current flows from the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara, while a countercurrent below carries saltier water back to the Black Sea. The Bosporus is a key fishing area because fish migrate through the channel. Its shores are wooded and dotted with villages, resorts, and fine homes.
Bosporus means “Oxford” and is linked to the legend of Io, who crossed the strait as a heifer. The strait’s strategic importance led Byzantine emperors and Ottoman sultans to build fortifications along its shores, especially on the European side. Examples include the castles of Anadoluhisarı and Rumelihisarı. Rules for the transit of ships through the strait were set in the 19th century, and an international commission controlled the strait after World War I. Turkey regained control in 1936 with the Montreux Convention.
Three bridges span the Bosporus: the Boğaziçi Bridge opened in 1973, the Fatih Sultan Mehmed Bridge in 1988, and the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge in 2016. A rail tunnel opened in 2013, and a road tunnel opened in 2016.
Caledonian Canal
The Caledonian Canal is an astonishing waterway in Scotland. It connects Inverness on the east coast to Corpach near Fort William on the west coast. An innovative Scottish engineer, Thomas Telford built it in the early 1800s.
Route
The canal is about 60 miles (100 kilometres) long. It goes from northeast to southwest and climbs up to 106 feet (32 meters) above sea level. Only one-third of it is manufactured. The rest is made up of four big lakes:
1. Loch Dochfour
2. Loch Ness
3. Loch Oich
4. Loch Lochy
These lochs are in the Great Glen, a big crack in the Earth. The canal has 29 locks, including eight at Neptune’s Staircase in Banavie. It also has four aqueducts and ten bridges.
Northern Section
The canal starts at Clachnaharry Sea Lock in the north. This lock sits on a manufactured peninsula so boats can reach deep water. Next to it is an old lock-keeper’s house. A swing bridge carries a railway line over the canal here.
The canal then passes through Muirtown Basin, which has places for boats to stop. It passes under the Tomnahurich swing bridge, which carries a big road. In 2021, a new swing bridge was built nearby to help with traffic.
Middle Section
At Fort Augustus, the canal leaves Loch Ness and goes through five locks in the middle of town. It then passes through more locks and bridges before reaching Loch Oich. This loch is the canal’s highest point at 106 feet (32.3 meters) above sea level.
Southern Section
After Loch Lochy, the canal goes through two locks at Gairlochy. It then passes over four aqueducts, like bridges that carry the canal over rivers.
The canal ends with Neptune’s Staircase, a set of eight locks that drop the water level by 64 feet (20 meters) in just 500 yards (460 meters). Finally, it reaches Corpach, where boats can enter Loch Linnhe and the sea.
The Caledonian Canal is an excellent example of old engineering that still works today. It helps boats travel across Scotland and is a fun place for people to visit and learn about history.
Welland Canal
The Welland Canal is a large waterway connecting Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. It’s like a giant water staircase for ships! Let’s explore how this canal grew over time.
The First Welland Canal (1824–1829)
Back in 1824, people started digging the first Welland Canal. It was finished in 1829. This canal:
- Was 43.4 kilometres long
- Had 40 wooden locks
- Was 2.4 meters deep
Building it was hard work. Workers used simple tools like picks and shovels. They got paid only half a dollar a day! Horses and oxen pulled the ships along paths called towpaths.
The Second Welland Canal (1842)
As bigger ships came, people needed a more giant canal. So, in 1842, they started building the second one. This new canal:
- Had 27 locks made of limestone
- Was 2.7 meters deep, later made deeper to 3.1 meters
- Had wider locks (8.1 meters wide)
The Third Welland Canal (1887)
The third canal took a straighter path. It was finished in 1887. This canal:
- Was 4.3 meters deep
- Had 26 stone locks
- Each lock was 13.7 meters wide
The Fourth Welland Canal (1913–1932)
The canal we use today was built between 1913 and 1932. It’s much bigger and better:
- It’s now 9.1 meters deep
- Has only eight locks
- Each lock is 24.4 meters wide and 261.8 meters long
This new canal goes straight through the Niagara Escarpment. It starts at Port Weller on Lake Ontario and goes south to Port Colborne.
A cool thing about this canal is the twin flight locks in Thorold. These locks let ships go both ways at once!
From 1967 to 1973, they built a unique channel called the Welland By-Pass. This helped ships move faster and kept traffic moving in the city of Welland.
Since 1824, the Welland Canal has made great strides. It’s now a significant, modern waterway that helps many ships travel between the Great Lakes!
Göta Canal
The Göta Canal is a significant waterway in Sweden. It was built in the early 1800s and is 190 km (120 miles) long. The canal is 7–14 meters (23–46 feet) wide and about 3 meters (9.8 feet) deep. Boats can only go 5 knots in it.
This canal is part of a longer waterway that’s 390 km (240 miles) long. It connects Gothenburg on the west coast to Söderköping on the Baltic Sea. This extensive waterway is called Sweden’s Blue Ribbon.
History
The idea for this canal is ancient. In 1516, a bishop named Hans Brask first thought of it. But it took almost 300 years before work started! A man named Baltzar von Platen made it happen. He got money and support from the government and the king.
Work on the canal began on April 11, 1810. It cost 24 million Swedish riksdalers. At that time, this was the biggest building project in Sweden. It took 22 years and more than 58,000 workers to finish!
Many experts came from Britain to help. Thomas Telford, a famous engineer, made the first plans. The canal finally opened on September 26, 1832.
Problems and Changes
At first, the canal helped ships avoid paying Denmark’s taxes. But in 1851, Denmark stopped charging these taxes, making the canal less useful.
Then, in 1855, trains came to Sweden. Trains were faster and could run all year. However, the canal had to close for five months each winter because of ice, making it less important for moving goods.
By the 1870s, the canal was primarily used for moving forest products, coal, and ore. These things didn’t need to move fast, so the slow canal was okay.
Legacy
Even though the canal became less important, it left a significant mark on Sweden. A factory called Motala Verkstad was built to make machines for the canal. Later, this factory made things for railways. Today, it’s part of a company that makes aeroplanes!
The Göta Canal is now a popular place for boat trips and tourists. It’s a beautiful part of Sweden’s history that you can still visit today.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the top 15 shipping canals in the world play an indispensable role in facilitating global trade, connecting distant markets, and fostering international economic growth. From the historic significance of the Suez Canal to the engineering marvel of the Panama Canal, each waterway has its unique story and contribution to the world’s shipping industry. These canals not only shorten travel distances but also significantly reduce transportation costs, making them vital arteries of global commerce.
As we continue to rely on these crucial passages, it’s important to recognize their impact on trade and their ongoing necessity in our interconnected world. We invite you to share your thoughts or personal experiences with these remarkable canals in the comments section below.
Your insights and stories can add valuable perspectives to our understanding of these crucial maritime routes.
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