North Sea Canal

North Sea Canal
Location of canal in dark blue.
Native nameNoordzeekanaal (Dutch)
Location
CountryNetherlands
ProvinceNorth Holland
Physical characteristics
SourceIJ
 • locationAmsterdam
 • coordinates52°23′45″N 4°53′30″E / 52.39583°N 4.89167°E / 52.39583; 4.89167
MouthNorth Sea
 • location
IJmuiden
 • coordinates
52°27′50″N 4°33′30″E / 52.46389°N 4.55833°E / 52.46389; 4.55833
 • elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Length25 km (16 mi)

The North Sea Canal (Dutch: Noordzeekanaal) is a Dutch ship canal from Amsterdam to the North Sea at IJmuiden, constructed between 1865 and 1876 to enable seafaring vessels to reach the port of Amsterdam.[1] This man-made channel terminates at Amsterdam in the closed-off IJ Bay, which in turn connects to the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal.

The drainage of the canal to the North Sea is done through the IJmuiden sea lock, augmented by the largest pumping station in Europe. This system is vital to the groundwater management of the Western Netherlands.

  1. ^ "Noordzeekanaal". Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsarchief. 23 April 2019. Archived from the original on 31 Aug 2024.