Saimaa Canal opens for traffic movement

The renovation work of all eight locks of the Saimaa Canal has been completed and it was opened for traffic movement on Friday, according to a press release of Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency.

“Work on refurbishing the Saimaa Canal locks, which began in 2016, has now been completed right on schedule. We carried out tests on the canal in April-May and are now able to open the whole canal for traffic”, said Tero Sikiö, Head of Unit at the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency.

“The original locks were built in the 1960s and they were not able to handle the winter traffic we have today. The new locks are more robust and easier to maintain”, Sikiö saidys.

Finland’s most important canal is the 42.9 kilometres long Saimaa Canal, which connects Lake Saimaa to the Gulf of Finland. Out of 42.9 kilometers, a total of 23.3 km situated on the Finnish and 19.6 km on the Russian side of the border.

The eight locks of the Saimaa Canal are operated via remote control centres at Mälkiä and Brusnitchnoe.

The maximum vessel size permitted is: length 82.5m, beam 12.6m, draught 4.35m and height of mast 24.5m.

The natural open water season in southern Lake Saimaa and in the Saimaa Canal is on average 211 days.

Since many of the vessels navigating in the canal and in Lake Saimaa have been surveyed for winter traffic, the navigation season has lately been as long as 9.5-10 months; from the beginning of April to the end of January.

During the navigation season Saimaa Canal, as well as the rest of the canals in the deep channels, are open 24 hours a day.