Technical Data

Kiel Canal (in German language referred to as Nord-Ostsee-Kanal, until 1948 is was also known as Kaiser-Wilhelm-Kanal) links the North Sea (estuary of the river Elbe) to the Baltic Sea (Kiel Fjord). It is owned, administrated and operated by the Federal Republic of Germany and available to shipping as an international waterway.

With a length of nearly 100 kilometres, Kiel Canal crosses the Federal State of Schleswig-Holstein between Brunsbuettel and Kiel-Holtenau. A transit results in an average distance saving of 900 kilometres compared to the passage through Skagerrak.

Dimension of the Kiel Canal

LENGTH98.26 km
WIDTH ON WATERLINE 162 m (teilweise noch 102,5 m)
WIDTH AT BOTTOM 90 m (teilweise noch 44m)
WATER DEPTH 11 m
FREE HEIGHT BETWEEN WATERLINE AND BRIDGES

Locks

‘SMALL LOCKS’ AT BRUNSBÜTTEL AND KIEL‘BIG LOCKS’ AT BRUNSBÜTTEL AND KIELNEW BRUNSBÜTTEL LOCK CHAMBER UNDER PLANNING
COMMISSIONING 189519142017 (planned)
USABLE LENGTH 125 m310 m330 m (planned)
USABLE WIDTH 22 m42 m42 m (planned)
LOCK CILL DEPTH in Brunsbüttel NN -10,2 m
in Kiel-Holtenau NN -9,8 m
NN -14,0 mNN –14,0 m (planned)
LOCK GATES Mitred lock gate
2 ebb tide and 2 flood tide doors per chamber
each lock 3 sliding gates; the mid-lock gate (at the same time reserve gate) is shorter than the other gates thus allowing a faster lockage Sliding gates
FILLINGthrough 2 side canals, each with 12 branch canalsin Brunsbuettel through revolving lock gates, in Holtenau through 2 side canals with 29 branch canalsStill subject to final planning
LOCK TRANSIT TIME 30 minutes45 minutes Still subject to final planning

Text compiled using material from Wikipedia.