Dortmund-Ems canal in Münster

The Dortmund-Ems canal in winter

The Dortmund-Ems Canal is a 269 km long canal in Germany between the river port of the city of Dortmund and Emden. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Dortmund (ˈdɔʁtmʊnt is a City in Germany, located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Emden is a City and Seaport in the northwest of Germany, on River Ems. The artificial southern part of the canal ends after 215 km at the lock of Herbrum near Meppen. Meppen is a town in and the seat of the Emsland district of Lower Saxony, Germany, at the confluence of the Ems, Hase, and Nordradde From there, the route goes over a length of 45 km over the river Ems until the lock of Oldersum. The Ems (Ems Eems is a River in northwestern Germany and northeastern Netherlands. There, the canal continues with a further artificial part of 9 km. This was made because the types of ships at the time of the construction of the canal were not built for open sea, at the Dollart and the entry to the sea port of Emden. The Dollart is a Bay partly in the Netherlands and partly in Germany, on the west side of the Estuary of the Ems river in 1277 This part of the canal is connected to the Ems-Jade Canal from Emden to Wilhelmshaven. Emden is a City and Seaport in the northwest of Germany, on River Ems. Wilhelmshaven (vɪlhɛlmsˈhaːfən is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany.

The canal was opened in 1899. Year 1899 ( MDCCCXCIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The reason for the construction of the canal was to lighten the load on the railways, which could not transport the products of the Ruhr area. The Ruhr Area, ( German Ruhrgebiet, colloquial Ruhrpott, Kohlenpott or Revier) is an Urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia Also, the canal was supposed to make the coal from the Ruhr area more competitive, compared to the imported English coal. Furthermore, the steel industry in the eastern Ruhr area needed ores from abroad.

The canal was attacked numerous times during World War II due to its strategic importance. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including It was finally breached by 617 Squadron RAF in September 1944 causing considerable damage. No 617 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is better known as the "Dambusters" squadron It was repaired after the conflict.

The best known building of the Dortmund-Ems canal is the ship elevator Henrichenburg in Waltrop, which enabled a ship to bridge a difference in height of 14 meters. Waltrop is a town in the district of Recklinghausen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It operated until 1962, and was then replaced by a new elevator and a lock. Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Today it houses the Westfälisches Industriemuseum.

Some kilometers to the north, the canal reaches the city of Datteln, that lies on a crossroads of four canals:

• Datteln-Hamm Canal
• Wesel-Datteln Canal
• Dortmund-Ems Canal
• Rhein-Herne Canal

The old route of the canal crosses the rivers Lippe, Stever and Ems on bridges. Datteln is a town in the district of Recklinghausen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The Wesel-Datteln Canal ( Wesel-Datteln-Kanal) is a 60 km long Canal in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. This Translation is incomplete If you know German consider helping translate this article The Lippe (ˈlɪpə is a river in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. These bridges are built with large arches, and the bridge over the Lippe lies 15 meters above the river.

After the second world war, the canal had to be widened. The parts of the canal that were elevated above ground level could not easily be widened, and therefore a new route was constructed between Olfen und Münster. Olfen is a municipality in the district of Coesfeld, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Münster ( is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the These parts of the canal lie parallel to the old route, and new river crossings were also built. The old route was closed for shipping.

At the moment, the canal is being widened again. This is done without closing the canal for shipping.

Towns along the canal

Dortmund - Waltrop - Datteln - Olfen - Lüdinghausen - Senden - Hiltrup - Münster - Dörenthe - Hörstel - Bevergern - Rheine - Hesselte - Lingen - Geeste - Meppen - Haren - Papenburg - Düthe - Heede - Lehe - Aschendorf - Oldersum - Emden -