Shipping canals are waterways specifically built to allow the passage of ships. They are built to connect seas, lakes and rivers. Such canals are vital because they offer shorter transportation routes and also help regulate water transport within countries. 
There are hundreds of transport channels of varying lengths, widths and depths around the world, facilitating the daily movement of various vessels. But these are the most grandiose and famous shipping canals in the world.
Corinth Canal 
Of our entire list, the Corinth Canal boasts the richest history. This hand-crafted canal was built in Greece and runs from the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea to the Gulf of Saronikos in the Aegean Sea. Although its construction was completed in 1893, construction of the canal began in ancient times. Construction work began during the time of Emperor Nero. With the help of Jewish prisoners of war, Nero was able to build 10% of the canal. But after the death of the emperor, construction stopped. The canal stood untouched until the Greek Republic remembered it in 1881. 
Construction resumed and the previously installed foundation was used to complete the project. But despite all the expectations, the channel was mostly considered a failure. The reason for this is its narrowness, high walls and landslides (all because the sandstone from which the canal walls are made begins to crumble when exposed to wind and air). This makes the canal too dangerous for large ships. For this reason, only small ships use the Corinth Canal.
Waterworks on the Yenisei 
Elevators are not only found in buildings, where they lift people and goods. There are also elevators for ships: they move ships from one water level to another. Due to the high cost, there are only about 60 such structures around the world. The only ship lift was built at the Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric power station on the Yenisei River.
Only thanks to him, ships traveling along the Yenisei overcome the obstacle in the form of a 124-meter dam. 
Typically, to bypass dams, locks are built that lower and raise ships. But in the case of the Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric power station, the height difference was too great. To organize locking here, it would be necessary to extend a chain of interconnected chambers about 40 kilometers long - from Divnogorsk almost to Krasnoyarsk. The cost would be comparable to the construction of the hydroelectric power station itself, and the water consumption would negate the entire efficiency of the station. That’s when the idea came up to make a ship lift: its length was only 1.5 kilometers instead of 40.
The ship lift of the Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric power station took more than ten years to build. In 1982, the structure was put into operation. He was carefully checked for six years.
Houston Ship Channel 
Texas is one of the most important states in the US economically, so it is not surprising that the state capital, Houston, has a major port and a large canal that facilitates the transport of goods. The Houston Ship Canal connects Houston and the Gulf of Mexico.
In 1900, Houston was a quiet country town. But its neighbor, the city of Galveston, was a very profitable port. The hurricane that wiped Galveston off the face of the earth changed everything. After this, it was decided to move the port inland. Now the Khustno shipping canal is 83 km long, and more than 150 industrial companies operate here at the largest petrochemical complex in the country.
The port is recognized as the first in the United States in foreign tonnage, first in American exports and imports. More than 200 million tons of cargo pass through the port annually on 8,000 ships and 200,000 barges. There is an improved network of pipelines for transporting oil.
Grand Canal 
There are many important companies based in China. And although the Grand Canal, which connects Beijing and Guangzhou, is not the most advanced in terms of technology, it is the oldest. Its length is 1700 km. The canal is also the oldest and longest canal in the world. It began to be built in the 5th century BC. And by the 12th century it had reached its present size. It was one of the most important infrastructure projects in Chinese history.
The canal connects two ancient Chinese capitals and stretches from north to south for 1,747 kilometers. The length of the Grand Canal exceeds the length of the Suez Canal by 10 times and the Panama Canal by 20 times. The Grand Canal connects the water systems of five rivers: Haihe, Yellow River, Huihe, Yangtze and Qiantang.
To this day it is used for freight transport. Its ancient age means that the canal has been repaired many times and that it has been destroyed by floods more than once. The Grand Canal is an eternal reminder of the engineering marvel of Imperial China.
Canals of Xochimilco 
There are many canals in the world, and some of them are recognized as historical heritage. Like the Xochimilco canals in Mexico City, which are located in the southern part of the city. Their length is 170 km, they connect 18 districts and 14 nearby villages.
In ancient times, even before the Spanish conquest, the Aztec tribes created artificial islands on Lake Xochimilco in order to grow flowers and vegetables on them, which were then delivered to the city using flat trachinera boats. Today, the legendary canals of Xochimilco serve as a walking place for numerous tourists, for whom noisy picnics are organized here.
An interesting fact is that such canals permeated the entire city, but after the conquest the water level dropped, and for this and other economic and geographical reasons the canals fell into disrepair. And only the Xochimilco canals have survived.
Today these canals are used to transport goods and tourists in colorful gondolas. And to visit the very creepy Island of the Dolls.
Nan-madol 
Venice is home to the most famous artificial canal system. But it has a namesake - a little-known city - the island of Nan-madol, which is located in the Pacific Ocean, in the state of Pohnpei (not to be confused with the Italian island of Pompeii), which is part of the Federated States of Micronesia.
Nan-madol was the capital of the Salador dynasty until 1658. 25 thousand people lived in it. It consists of several artificial islands connected by a network of canals. The islands were created at the beginning of the 13th century and each of them had its own purpose.
The island raises big questions among scientists and researchers of everything occult and mysterious. Indeed, according to research, the construction of the city required at least 800 thousand tons of stone. Moreover, scientists note that building a similar city on land would be much easier and would require much less stone. It also raises the question of how all the stone was transported to the city construction site, because... some of them are quite impressive in size.
The island is unique in that it survived only by supplying ships. Leaders of all tribes lived in Nan-madol. This made it possible for the rulers of the dynasty to monitor them and not allow them to take all the power for themselves. After the island was attacked by the inhabitants of the neighboring city, Nan-madol fell into decay and people left it.
Bangkok canals 
Bangkok is a city that is located in a humid climate, in a swamp, its level is below sea level. As a result, this place is simply ideal for laying channels. Since the city's founding in 1782, canals have historically served a variety of purposes. They were used for transport, as a source of food and during all kinds of ceremonies.
The canals were widened in the 19th century, and roads began to be used more in the 20th century. Therefore, most of the canals were buried so that land transport could move along them. But despite the fact that the canals are now shorter, they are still very important for the economic life of the city. Now there are 1982 channels with a total length of 2600 km. They are used by boats transporting goods around cities. Since the water level in some canals and the river differs by almost a meter, the canals are connected to the river through locks.
If you get the chance to visit Bangkok, we recommend taking a ride along the canals to see the true spirit of this incredible city.
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