Widest Canals Width Comparison (Meters Navigable)
Compare the 10 widest canals by narrowest navigable width, from Suez at 205 m to Corinth at 21 scale. Widths in meters and feet with authority specs listed.
Visual comparison
All values
Click any row to load it as Entry A.
| Name | Value | Context | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suez Canal Widest canal here by narrowest point. | 205 m (672.6 ft) | Egypt, narrowest navigable width | Suez Authority specs: 205 m narrowest width |
| Houston Ship Channel Ranks above Culebra; see notes on order. | 161 m (528.2 ft) | Texas, USA, channel width | Houston port specs: channel 161 m wide |
| Panama Canal Culebra Cut 53 under Suez. | 152 m (498.7 ft) | Panama, narrowest cut width | Panama Authority specs: Culebra Cut 152 m wide |
| Kiel Canal 62 under Culebra Cut. | 90 m (295.3 ft) | Germany, narrowest width | Kiel authority specs: 90 m narrowest width |
| Welland Canal Ranks above Manchester; see notes. | 80 m (262.5 ft) | Ontario, Canada, lock width limit | Welland specs: 80 m channel width |
| St Lawrence Seaway 10 under Welland. | 70 m (229.7 ft) | Canada and USA, lock width limit | Seaway specs: 70 m channel width |
| Manchester Ship Canal 25 under Kiel. | 65 m (213.3 ft) | England, channel width | Manchester specs: canal 65 m wide |
| White Sea Canal 20 under Seaway. | 50 m (164 ft) | Russia, channel width | Russian specs: White Sea Canal 50 m wide |
| Caledonian Canal 10 under White Sea. | 40 m (131.2 ft) | Scotland, channel width | Scottish Canals specs: Caledonian 40 m wide |
| Corinth Canal Smallest row here. | 21 m (68.9 ft) | Greece, narrow cut, kept for scale | Corinth authority specs: 21 m narrow width |
About this converter
Suez runs 205 m at its narrowest navigable width, 44 clear of Houston Ship Channel at 161. Culebra Cut at 152, Kiel at 90, Welland at 80, St Lawrence Seaway at 70, Manchester at 65, White Sea at 50, Caledonian at 40 and Corinth at 21 for scale follow. Widths here are narrowest navigable water widths, not lock gate widths. Lengths and yearly transits rank on separate canal pages, so km and ships stay out here.
How to use it
Pick two canals and a unit in the top row. The three boxes below stay linked. Change any box and the other two update. Try Suez against Corinth to see the near ten times gap. The bars below scale to Suez so Corinth looks thin next to it. Switch the unit to feet for US figures. Ratios are exact divisions of the narrowest widths.
Houston at 161 ranks above Culebra at 152, and Welland at 80 ranks above Manchester at 65 despite draft table quirks. Narrowest versus average splits rows since canals widen at basins. Lengths rank on ship-canal-length-comparison and transits on busiest-canal-transits, so this page keeps widths only. Figures follow canal authority specs.
FAQ
What is the widest canal?
Suez at 205 m narrowest width. Houston follows at 161.
Is this the same as canal lengths?
No. Lengths and transits rank elsewhere. This page keeps widths.
How wide is Corinth?
21 m narrow cut. Smallest here, kept for scale.
Do locks count?
Water widths rank here, not lock gates. Gates run narrower.
Sources
- Canal authority specs narrowest navigable width: Suez 205; Houston 161; Culebra Cut Panama 152; Kiel 90; Welland 80; St Lawrence Seaway 70; Manchester 65; White Sea 50; Caledonian 40; Corinth 21 m wide
Last verified: 2026-10-09 · 10 entries
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