Description:
Opened in 1893, the Corinth Canal separates mainland Greece from the Peloponnese. The Canal is 3.2NM long, 25m (81 ft) wide and has a max. draft of 7m. The limestone from which the canal is cut rises to 76m above sea level at its highest point.
The canal came under private management in September 2001 and is too narrow for commercial vessels (apart from some small cruise ships), so is predominantly a tourist attraction and useful short cut for small craft. The town of Corinth (Korinthe in Greek) lies just west of the northern end of the canal.
The canal operates 24 hours, 7 days per week except on Tuesdays from 06.00 to 18.00, when regular canal maintenance is carried out.
There are hydraulic road bridges at either end of the canal which sink down into the water to allow vessels to pass.
This is the most expensive canal transit in the world (approx. 200 Euros plus for a 12m yacht). However, it does save alot of time not having to sail around the Peloponnese.
Entrance Notes and Cautions:
ALERT: Following extensive repair work on the Canal since January 2021 when a number of serious landslides closed the Canal to all shipping, the Canal re-opened on 1 May, 2024 returning to normal and full 24 hour operation. However, it is scheduled to close again from 4 November, 2024 until March 2025 to continue restoration works. Read News here.
See the Corinth Canal website for updates (in English), or contact administration/customer service (csd@aedik.gr).
The Canal is illuminated at night by electric (natrium vapour) lamps of amber colour, placed opposite each other in pairs, with a distance of 100 metres between each pair. The purpose of these is to mark out the flanks of the Canal by night. There is also an auxiliary lighting network with ordinary light bulbs, fitted in the same order as that above.
Vessels approaching the Canal during the night are effectively guided on the Corinth side by the flashing white beacon of the Melangavion lighthouse (with a range of 20 miles), and on the Saronic Gulf side by the flashing red Sousakion lighthouse (with a range of 18 miles).
A current of 1-3 knots can flow either direction in the canal depending on where the wind is blowing from. Useful information on winds and currents can be found in the Corinth Canal General Info.
Paperwork and fees are dealt with at the Eastern end of the Canal in Isthmia.
Position:
37°56.67'N, 22°56.32'E (Corinth Harbor)
Last updated: October 2024
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