Albert Canal

Coordinates: 51°04′03″N 5°11′27″E / 51.0674°N 5.1907°E / 51.0674; 5.1907
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the Spanish footballer, see Albert Canal (footballer).
Albert Canal
Albert Canal in Geel
The Albert canal connects Liège to Antwerp via Hasselt.
Specifications
Length80.5 miles (129.6 km)
Locks6
History
Construction began1930
Date of first use1939 (1939)
Geography
Start pointLiège
End pointAntwerp
The canal in the city of Hasselt

The Albert Canal (Dutch: Albertkanaal, pronounced [ˈɑl.bərt.kaːˌnaːl]; French: Canal Albert, pronounced [kanal albɛʁ]) is a canal located in northeastern Belgium, which was named for King Albert I of Belgium. The Albert Canal connects Antwerp with Liège, and also the Meuse river with the Scheldt river. It also connects with the Dessel–Turnhout–Schoten Canal, and its total length is 129.5 kilometres (80.5 mi).

Size and geography

The Albert Canal has a standard depth of 3.4 metres (11 ft) and an overhead clearance of 6.7 metres (22 ft). To allow four-stacked container traffic, bridges over the canal are currently being heightened to allow for a 9.1 metres (30 ft) overhead.

Between Antwerp and Liège, there is a difference in elevation of 56 metres (184 ft), and six sets of

canal locks were needed to overcome this difference. Five canal locks each have a lift of 10 metres (33 ft), and these are located in Genk, Diepenbeek, Hasselt, Kwaadmechelen, and Olen, Belgium. The sixth lock at Wijnegem
has a lift of 5.45 metres (17.9 ft).

During most of the 1930s, before the completion of the Albert Canal, it took about seven days to travel from Antwerp to Liège by water. In the 21st century, that same distance can be covered in about 18 hours.

History

The canal near Smeermaas, Limburg
Cycling path along the canal, near Smeermaas, Limburg
The Albert canal near Kanne, Limburg

The Albert Canal was constructed from 1930 through 1939. The German construction company

Hochtief AG worked on the canal between 1930 and 1934, but it was completed by Belgian companies. The Albert Canal was used for the first time in 1940 but, because of World War II and the German occupation
, intensive use only began later, in 1946.

During World War II, the Albert Canal functioned as a defence line. The crossing of the canal by the German forces and the destruction of

German invasion of Belgium
.

During the Liberation of Belgium by the Allies in September 1944, the

U.S. Army entered Belgium further to the east on its way to liberate the rest of Belgium, and Luxembourg, and then proceed east to invade Nazi Germany.[citation needed] Hence, Belgium was liberated from the south by three different armies, two of which needed to cross the Albert Canal.[citation needed
]

Today

In 2002, the canal carried a record 43 million tons of goods of various kinds, amounting to more than half the Belgian waterway total.[1]

The canal is also a popular leisure and cycling destination, with well paved service roads on both sides traversing picturesque farm land, particularly around Smeermaas, Lanaken and Maasmechelen.[1]

Notes

  1. ^ a b "Cycling Belgium's Waterways: Albert Canal", Gamber.net, archived from the original on 2016-03-04, retrieved 10 October 2015

51°04′03″N 5°11′27″E / 51.0674°N 5.1907°E / 51.0674; 5.1907

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