Geography sometimes needs a shortcut. A canal is an artificial waterway constructed to connect bodies of water and allow ships to pass between them, often avoiding long ocean routes or land barriers.

The Suez and Panama canals are the most famous, but smaller canals serve coastal and inland shipping worldwide. Locks raise and lower vessels where water levels differ. Transit rules, tolls, and size limits shape which ships can use each canal and how they are designed.

Canal authorities manage traffic, maintain channels, and respond to blockages. A single grounding or closure can ripple through global trade. Ships prepare special mooring gear, lighting, and sometimes extra crew for canal transit.

• Man-made waterway for ship transit
• Often includes locks for level changes
• Imposes size limits and transit procedures
• Critical chokepoints in global trade