A ship canal is a canal especially constructed to carry ocean-going ships, as opposed to barges. Ship canals can be enlarged barge canals, canalised or channelized rivers, or canals especially constructed from the start to accommodate ships.
For a canal to qualify as a ship canal, it must have a minimum depth of at least 5 metres (16.4 feet), although many are much deeper. The purpose of a ship canal is:
List of important ship canals (by length):
| + List of important ship canals by length | |||
| canal | dimensions | location | notes |
| White Sea-Baltic Canal | *141 miles (227 km) long *3.5 metres deep | Russia | *Opened in 1933, is partly a canalised river, partly an artificial canal, and partly some natural lakes. *Shallow depth limits modern vessels from using the canal. |
| Rhine-Main-Danube Canal | *106 miles (171 km) long *lock dimensions: 190m x 11.45m x 4m | Germany | *Opened in 1992, links the large rivers Rhine and Danube, and thus also the North Sea and the Black Sea. |
| Suez Canal | *100 miles (160 km) long *300 metres wide | Egypt | *Opened in 1869, links the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea. |
| Volga-Don Canal | *62 miles (100 km) long *lock dimensions: 140m x 16.6m x 3.5m | Russia | *Opened in 1952, connects the Black, Azov, and Caspian Seas. |
| Kiel Canal | *60 miles (98 km) long *lock dimensions: 310m x 42m x 14m | Germany | *Opened in 1895. Shortens the passage between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. |
| Houston Ship Channel | *56 miles (91 km) long *161 m wide *14m deep | USA | *Connects Houston, Texas to the Gulf of Mexico. |
| Alphonse XIII Canal | 53 miles (85 km) long | Spain | *Opened in 1926, mostly canalised river. Links Seville to the Gulf of Cadiz. |
| Panama Canal | *51 miles (82 km) long *lock dimensions: 320m x 33.53m x 25.9 m | Panama | *Opened in 1914. Links the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean, creating a shortcut. |
| Danube-Black Sea Canal | 40 miles (64 km) long *lock dimensions: 138m x 16.8m x 5.5m | Romania | *Opened in 1984. Links the Danube to the Black Sea. |
| Manchester Ship Canal | *35 miles (57 km) long *lock dimensions: 170.68m x 21.94m x 8.78m | England | *Opened in 1894. Links Manchester to Irish Sea. |
| Welland Canal | 28 miles (45 km) long *lock dimensions: 225.5m x 2.3m x 8.2 m | Canada | *Opened in 1931. Links Lake Erie to Lake Ontario and is part of the Saint Lawrence Seaway. |
| Saint Lawrence Seaway | *lock dimensions: 225.5m x 2.3m x 8.2 m | Canada, USA | Links Montreal with Lake Superior. |
