Total length | Total elevation | Number of locks | Max boatlength | Max boatwidth | Max draft | Max free height | Max speed |
5,2 km | 0,6 - 0,8 m | 1 | 135 m | 19 m | 7 m | 40,5 m | 6 knots |
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Wilhelm Tham on it's way into the loch from south. | Aerial view of central Södertälje from the 1960ies. You can see the old roadbridge (E4) and on the other side of the bridge the canal widens into a bay of lake Mälaren. On this side of the bridge the canal divids into two branches. The narros left one is the old canal, today a popular pleasureboat harbour in the city center. | The old canal and the old railroad bridge. The picture is shot from west. |
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The canal before the build in the 1920ies. The boat is going towards lake Mälrane through the canal-part that is now pleasureboat harbour. | The old canals outlet into the sea. At about the same places as todays canal. | The truss bridge on a picture shot in 1925 by Ludvig Fondelius. |
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Memorial tablet from 1819 when the canalwas ready for use. | Memorial tablet from 1925 when king Gustav V inaugurated the rebuilt canal. | Memorial tablet from 1976 when king Carl XVI Gustav inaugurated the deepened canal. |
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The upper gates seen from south. | The lock seen from the upper gates. | The lock seen from the lower gates. |
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Canal view towards north from the lock. | Canal office and control tower by the lock. | The old house for the lock keeper. |
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The new bridge got broken before it was ready for use! | Water pouring between closed gates. |
History:
The narrow fairway through Södetälje has since early times had an enormous importance for the towns around lake Mälaren. Ancient towns like Birka, Sigtuna and Helgö by. This was the fastest route between lake Mälaren and the sea.
The Vikings and their ancestors knew the art of pulling ships on rolls over land and had to use that technic when land elevation made the passage here too shallow.
King Engelbrekt is supposed to be the father of this canal as he during the 15th century ordered a number of clearings and dredgings here. However these works were never completed. During the reign of king Karl XI a canal was built between lake Maren and Saltskogsfjärden. This canal fell in decay and soon it was too shallow, but it was not until 1806 works started for a new canal with lock. The works this time were led by Erik Nordewall and they were finished in 1819. This time the whole fairway from Linabay in lake Mälaren to Igelstabay in the Baltic sea was properly prepared.
This canal worked well, but as ships were built bigger and bigger it soon got to narrow and shallow. In the first decades of the 20th century several surveys were made about an enlargement of the canal. The proposed enlargements were made in the 1920ies. The lock built then is still in use and it it the biggest lock in the Scandinavian countries.
During the 1970ies the canal was further widened and deepend.
In 1996 3 969 commercial ships passed the canal, as well as a number of passengerships and 10 700 pleasureboats.
Five million tons of goods was transported on the canal. Four millions on the way into lake Mälaren and 1 million on the way out of Mälaren.
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