Danube–Black Sea Canal

Called The Danube - Black Sea Canal, (Romanian Canalul Dunare - Marea NEAGRA, as Cernavoda - channel or Cernavoda - Constanta Canal is an artificial waterway (channel) between the Danube and the Black Sea. It shortens the path of the Danube to the Black Sea about 370 km (compared to the route that crosses Galaţi and Sulina ), while the Cernavoda - Constanta route is shortened by 450 km.

History and Technology

The canal starts at Cernavoda ( Danube km 300) 44.34686111111128.022777777778 and mündet44.09972222222228.638888888889 at Agigea, a suburb of Constanta, the Black Sea. In Poarta Albă the north arm branches ab44.21805555555628.383888888889, a channel connection to the oil refinery Midia - Năvodari. The Danube - Black Sea Canal has a length of 64.2 km, a width of 60 m and a depth of 7 m. The minimum curve radius is 3000 m. The northern arm has a length of 26.6 km, a width of 50 m and a depth of 5.5 m. The minimum curve radius is 1000 m.

To compensate for the water table levels between the Danube and the Black Sea, the channel has four lock systems: the Danube at the beginning at Cernavodă44.31333333333328.044722222222 in close proximity to the nuclear plant at Cernavoda, towards the Black Sea at the end at Agigea44.10027777777828.62 and at the end of Nordarms at the refinery Midia - Năvodari44.32222222222228.625277777778, and in the course of Nordarms at Ovidiu44.27111111111128.545555555556.

In addition to the docks at the beginning and the ends of the channel arms there are two more at Medgidia44.24638888888928.305277777778 and Murfatlar44.17805555555628.395833333333.

The waterway is for individual vessels up to 5000 tons with dimensions of 138.3 m long, 16.8 m wide and 5.5 m and for pushing units with dimensions of 296 m long, 22.8 m wide and 3.8 m draft approved for Befahrung. The northern arm, vessels and pushed convoys with the maximum dimensions 119.4 m long, 11.4 m wide and traveled 3.8 m depth.

The sluice gates at Agigea

Aerial view of the mouth of the channel in the Black Sea

A craft assembly in the channel

History

The first projects to build a canal from Cernavoda to the Black Sea have been known since 1837. But when in 1860 the newly built railway Cernavoda - Constanta allowed the transport of goods to the Black Sea, these plans fell into oblivion. Worked until 1927, the Romanian engineer Jean - Stoenescu Dunare a renewed project. 1949 started the first construction, which mainly tens of thousands of prisoners, including many of German origin and political prisoners were used in forced labor camps. They received no wages and live in the Romanian " Gulag Archipelago ". 1953 increased our work for financial reasons. It was not until 1975-1984, the channel of the Danube was - Black Sea Building Department ( CCDMN ) completed the construction of the northern branch in the eastern section was 1984-1987 This thing is about twice the amount of about 300 million cubic meters of earth were moved. Panama Canal corresponded. However, the channel also arose for reasons of prestige and standing entirely of sovereignty of Romania; In contrast to the Danube, which is subject to joint control of the neighboring countries. Not least, he was free from the influence of the Soviet Union.

After the completion of the canal deserving individuals received the medal specially endowed " Danube - Black Sea Canal ".

Work-up

The Sighet Memorial, a " Memorial to the Victims of Communism and of the communist resistance ", opened in 2010 to commemorate the victims of the Danube-Black Sea Canal, a commemorative exhibition " The Danube - Black Sea Canal. A programmed cemetery ". The exhibition was supported by the Association of Former Political Prisoners in Romania ( AFDPR ), the county department Constanţa the State Archives and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation organized.

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