10 Famous Shipping Canals of the World

JANUARY 25, 2013 BY SHARDA1 COMMENT

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Shipping canal is a type of water canal specifically created along

major seawater routes to aid the passage of cargo ships. Ship canals
are specially designed or enlarged so as to accommodate large sized
cargo vessels. Such canals are of vital importance in the maritime
world as they offer shorter, alternative transportation routes across
major seawater networks and also help to regulate maritime traffic
internally within countries.

Across the world there are many such shipping canals that aid the
movement of ships on an everyday basis. Some of these canals are
also the most busiest traffic routes around the world.

Mentioned below are ten of the most famous and busiest shipping
canals from around the world.

1. The White Sea- Baltic Sea Canal: The White Sea-Baltic Sea Canal is an
important waterway that regularizes traffic internally along the
Russian waterways starting from the White Sea in the north and
extending to the Baltic Sea down south.
Constructed in the year 1933, the shipping canal passes through
various smaller water bodies before finally emerging into the Baltic
Sea. Although an important navigation conduct, the canal
however isn’t suitable for merchant ships vessels with larger
dimensions and specifications.

2. Rhine-Main-Danube Canal: Linking three important rivers in the heart of

Western Europe, the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal or the Europa Canal
was originally built as early as the 1938s. Over the years there have
been several constructional extensions that have been made to the
canal, the last one being carried out in the early 1990s.
The Europa Canal is a major marine transportation gateway linking the
North Sea to the Black Sea, via the Atlantic Ocean. It is also an
important shipping gateway within Europe.

3. Suez Canal: The Suez Canal is an extremely crucial and famous

shipping canal allowing the passage of vessels between the
Mediterranean and the Red Sea.

The canal was constructed in the mid-1800s and as has

been recognized as a maritime route to be open at all times, to
shipping vessels of all countries in order to facilitate continuity in
maritime trade operations irrespective of global conflicts.

4. Volga-Don Canal: The Volga-Don ship canal interlinks the Russian

rivers Volga and Don in-turn, providing an important water passage
through the Azoff Sea (a bay of the Black Sea) and the Caspian Sea to
the major oceanic networks.

The original construction work on the canal was started as early as

the 16th century and the route was considered important because of
the fact that it provided a much passage to connect the Eastern
European shipping networks with their Western counterparts.

5. Kiel Canal: Connecting the Baltic Sea with the North Sea, the Kiel
Canal passes through the German province of Schleswig-Holstein. The
constructional aspect of the water route dates back to the 1700s,
though the construction of the present-day Kiel water conduit began
only during the late 1890s.
Using the shipping canal allows vessels to bypass the longer route
that passes via Denmark (peninsula of Jutland), which is regarded to
quite an unstable maritime route.

6. Houston Ship Canal: Mainly utilised to provide passage of ships

entering the Houston harbour into the Gulf of Mexico, the Houston Ship
Canal, is a vital water conduit in the internal United States.
Although occurring naturally, the shipping canal has been broadened
in order to ensure its continued viability. The Houston Ship Canal has
been in existence and operation since the mid 1830s.

7. Panama Canal: One of the most crucial maritime gateways in the

western region, the Panama Canalprovides connectivity between the
Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean through the Panama isthmus.

The canal was built in the year 1914 and has been a major marine
route since then, with high levels of marine traffic passing through it
on either sides.

8. Danube-Black Sea Canal: The Danube-Black Sea conduit is yet another

important passage in the western European region. In addition to
connecting the Danube River to the Black Sea, this shipping canal also
in a way interlinks the Black Sea to the North Sea by way of the
Danube-Main-Rhine conduit and provides a maritime passage to
Eastern Europe by way of the Volga-Don canal.
The canal is important as it helps vessels to bypass the difficult
deltaic region of Danube and thus enable continuity in maritime
operations.

9. Manchester Ship Canal: The Manchester Ship Canal passes through the
Rivers Irwell and Mersey in the province of Liverpool and extends up to
Manchester.
In operation since the late 19th century, the shipping canal is one of
the most crucial maritime routes in the English internal marine
transportation sector.

10. Welland Canal: The Welland Canal joins two major Canadian river
networks – the Ontario River with the Erie River. The necessity of the
ship canal is further emphasized by the fact that it allows vessels’
passage through the embankment of the Niagara Falls and completely
avoid the Niagara Falls’ route.

Although the construction work began as early as in 1924, over the

years several extensions were made to the canal which was finally
completed in the year 1932.