North Sea Canal

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The canal near Velsen

Map showing the canal.

Satellite photo

The North Sea Canal or Noordzeekanaal is a Dutch ship canal from Amsterdam to the North Sea at IJmuiden, constructed between 1865 and 1876 to enable seafaring vessels to reach the port of Amsterdam. It ends at Amsterdam in the closed-off IJ bay, which in turn connects to the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal.

Together there are the following connections:

Railroad tunnels (with nearest train station on the south and north bank):

between Amsterdam Sloterdijk and Zaandam
between Driehuis and Beverwijk

Road tunnels, from east to west:

Zeeburger Tunnel and Zeeburger Bridge
Zuiderzeeweg
IJ Tunnel
Coen Tunnel
Wijker Tunnel (part of the A9 motorway)
Velser Tunnel

Several ferries. In Amsterdam there are several across the IJ; at least one is frequent, operating 24 hours a day, free of charge.

There are four locks, of various sizes at the North Sea mouth of the canal.Letter, from an official, in response to a query on the lock dimensions.
name completed dimensions in meters
South 1876 110 x 20 x 8
Small 1876 110 x 11 x 3.5
Middle 1896 225 x 25 x 10
North 1929 400 x 50 x 15

References

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name	completed	dimensions in meters
South	1876	110 x 20 x 8
Small	1876	110 x 11 x 3.5
Middle	1896	225 x 25 x 10
North	1929	400 x 50 x 15