Ship canal

A ship canal is a canal specially constructed to carry ocean going ships as opposed to barges.

Ship canals are either enlarged Barge canals, canalised rivers, or canals specialy constructed from the start, for Sea going ships. In order for a canal to qualify as a Ship canal, it must have a minimum depth of at least 5 metres (16.4 feet).

Here is a list of the world's principal ship canals.

• 1. Baltic to White Sea Canal (formerly Stalin Canal) in Russia 141 miles (227 km) long. opened in 1933, is partly a canalised river.

• 2. Suez Canal in Egypt 100 miles (160 km) long, opened in 1869 Links the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.

• 3. V.I Lenin Volga-Don Canal in Russia. 62 miles (100 km) long. Opened in 1952. Interconects Black, Azov and Caspian Seas.

• 4. Kiel Canal in Germany 60 miles (98 km) long. Opened in 1895. Shortens the North Sea to Baltic Sea Passage.

• 5. Houston Canal in USA 56 miles (91 km) long. Connects Houston, Texas to Caribbean Sea.

• 6. Alphonse XIII Canal in Spain 53 miles (85 km) long. opened in1926. Mostly canalised river. Links Seville to Gulf of Cadiz.

• 7. Panama Canal in Panama 51 miles (82 km) long. Opened in 1914. Links Caribbean Sea to Pacific Ocean, creating shortcut.

• 8 Manchester Ship Canal in England 35 miles (57 km) long. Opened in 1894. Links Manchester to Irish Sea.

• 9. Welland Canal in Canada 28 miles (45 km) long. Opened in 1931. Links Lake Erie to Lake Ontario.