| Nord-Ostsee-Kanal | |
|---|---|
 Locks at Brunsbüttel connecting the canal to the River Elbe estuary, and thence to the North Sea | |
 Current map of Kiel Canal in Schleswig-Holstein | |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 98.26 km (61.06 miles) |
| Maximum boat length | 235 m (771 ft) |
| Maximum boat beam | 32.5 m (107 ft) |
| Maximum boat draft | 9.5 m (31 ft) |
| History | |
| Construction began | 1887 |
| Date completed | 1895 |
| Date extended | 1907–14 |
| Geography | |
| Start point | Brunsbüttel (North Sea) |
| End point | Holtenau, Kiel (Baltic Sea) |
 | |
The Kiel Canal (German: Nord-Ostsee-Kanal, lit. 'North–East Sea–Canal', formerly the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Kanal) is a 98-kilometer-long (61 mi) fresh water canal that links the North Sea (Nordsee) to the Baltic Sea (Ostsee). It runs through the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, from Brunsbüttel to the Holtenau district of Kiel. It was constructed from 1887-95 and widened from 1907-14. In addition to the two sea entrances, at Oldenbüttel the Kiel Canal is linked to the navigable River Eider by the short Gieselau Canal.[1]
An average of 460 km (290 mi) is saved by using the Kiel Canal instead of going around the Jutland Peninsula. This saves time and fuel, avoids storm-prone seas, and avoids passing through the Danish straits. The Kiel Canal is one of the world's most frequented artificial waterways with an annual average of 32,000 ships (90 daily), transporting approximately 100 million tonnes of goods.[2]
- ^ Sheffield, Barry (1995). Inland Waterways of Germany. St Ives: Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson. ISBN 0-85288-283-1.
- ^ "Nord-Ostsee-Kanal" (in German). Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsverwaltung des Bundes. Retrieved 2021-08-14.