CANAL · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND CHARTERERS
The Kiel Canal
The Kiel Canal crosses northern Germany from the Elbe at Brunsbüttel to the Baltic at Kiel-Holtenau, saving the passage round Skagen for ships that fit its locks. On Hamburg to Gdansk it saves 321 nm: 445 nm through it, 766 nm without.
Voyages through the Kiel Canal
Real voyages NaviBoss plans through the Kiel Canal, and the distance when the planner's padlock shuts it.
| Voyage | Through it | Without it | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamburg to Gdansk | 445 nm | 766 nm | +321 nm |
| Rotterdam to Gdansk | 667 nm | 823 nm | +156 nm |
| Rotterdam to Stockholm | 791 nm | 932 nm | +141 nm |
| Rotterdam to Helsinki | 946 nm | 1,088 nm | +141 nm |
Navigational warnings
The Kiel Canal is in NAVAREA I. Keep its in-force warnings, and check the local notices and the vessel traffic service before the transit.
Questions about the Kiel Canal
Where is the Kiel Canal?
The Kiel Canal crosses northern Germany from the Elbe at Brunsbüttel to the Baltic at Kiel-Holtenau, saving the passage round Skagen for ships that fit its locks. NaviBoss places it at about 54°08.4′N 009°20.2′E, in NAVAREA I.
How much distance does the Kiel Canal save?
On Hamburg to Gdansk, 321 nm: 445 nm through the Kiel Canal against 766 nm without it. At 14 knots that is about 1.0 days.
Which voyages go through the Kiel Canal?
For example Hamburg to Gdansk, Rotterdam to Gdansk, Rotterdam to Stockholm and Rotterdam to Helsinki.
Is the Kiel Canal in a piracy or war-risk area?
Not as of the date on this page: it lies in no ITF/IBF warlike area, JWC listed area or piracy hotspot that NaviBoss draws.
Other canals and straits
- Suez Canal
- Panama Canal
- Corinth Canal
- Strait of Gibraltar
- Strait of Dover
- Bab el-Mandeb
- Strait of Hormuz
- Malacca Strait
- Singapore Strait
- Sunda Strait
- Makassar Strait
- Torres Strait
- Taiwan Strait
- Tsugaru Strait
- Bosporus
- Dardanelles
- Øresund (The Sound)
- Strait of Messina
- Strait of Sicily
- Strait of Bonifacio
- Cape of Good Hope
- Strait of Magellan
- Bass Strait
- Windward Passage
- Straits of Florida
- Strait of Juan de Fuca
- San Bernardino Strait
- Verde Island Passage
- Balabac Strait
- Pentland Firth
Avoid it on your own voyage
In the planner, tap the padlock on the Kiel Canal (or any of 950 passages) and the route is re-planned the other way, with the extra miles shown. Free with an account.
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NaviBoss guides are written and checked by maritime industry experts, masters and deck officers. Each one is built from the same data the planner uses, dated, and rebuilt when that data changes. Spotted something wrong? Tell us on the feedback board.
A planning aid, not for navigation. Check official charts and publications, the latest notices and your company's instructions before you rely on any figure here.