Dortmund–Ems Canal

The Dortmund-Ems Canal is a navigable waterway stretching 269 kilometers (167 miles) from Dortmund to Emden, incorporating several locks and boat lifts to manage changes in elevation. The route passes through flat countryside with occasional wooded sections and runs alongside small towns that have grown along its banks.

This waterway opened in 1899 to move coal from the Ruhr area to the North Sea and ease pressure on overloaded rail lines during industrialization. A second parallel stretch was built after the Second World War to allow larger cargo ships to pass through.

The name Dortmund-Ems Canal refers to the two endpoints of the waterway and its connection between the Ruhr region and the North Sea. Along this route, you can see cargo ships carrying industrial goods regularly, along with leisure boats and anglers using the quieter stretches.

The canal banks are accessible at several points via cycling and walking paths that work well for day trips. Many bridges cross the route and offer vantage points where you can watch passing ship traffic.

The locks at Münster rank among the busiest in the entire German inland waterway network and handle around 13 million tons of cargo each year. Unlike many other routes, this one carries industrial goods northward and raw materials southward in roughly equal volumes.

Location: Ems (Dortmund-Ems-Kanal)

Location: Rheine

Inception: 1899

Official opening: August 11, 1999

Elevation above the sea: 70 m

Reference: DEK

Part of: national waterways in Germany

GPS coordinates: 52.28194,7.54194

Latest update: December 13, 2025 19:12