The Silesian Canal is a planned inland waterway approximately 93 km long, intended to connect the Odra (near Kędzierzyn-Koźle) with the Vistula (near Oświęcim) and link the Upper Silesian Industrial Region and the Rybnik Coal Region with the Odra corridor and Krakow. The route would pass through Kuźnia Raciborska, Rybnik, Żory, Tychy and Bieruń. The concept dates back to the 18th century, and the southern variant was selected as early as 1973; nonetheless, the undertaking remains at the conceptual and planning stage. The applicable National Waterway Program until 2030 lists the canal as a planned connection, with the prospect of implementation only after 2030. The estimated construction cost was put at approximately PLN 11 billion.
Change history
- Sep 2025 status: planned Included in the National Shipping Programme until 2030 as a connection planned with a horizon beyond 2030.
- Oct 2019 stage: announced
Significance
The canal would create a navigable, class IV connection between the Odra and Vistula basins, handling pushed convoys with a load capacity of up to 3,500 t; approximately 10 locks measuring 190×12×4 m were planned. For the region, it would mean an alternative waterway route for transporting bulk cargo from Silesia toward the ports of Szczecin and Świnoujście, as well as closing a segment of the European waterway corridor. The scale of costs (on the order of PLN 11 billion) and the multi-year horizon, pushed beyond 2030, make implementation uncertain.
Sources 6
Every fact on this card comes from the sources below. Next to each source — which fields it supports.
- money.plDescription
- WikipediaDescription
Description „ok. 93 km"
Description „Wisła: w okolicach Oświęcimia; Odra: w rejonie Kędzierzyna-Koźla"
- naszraciborz.pl (za Rzeczpospolita) 30 Oct 2019CostStage
- Seaoo.com 7 Nov 2019CostDescription
Cost „Koszt całego przedsięwzięcia to około 11 miliardów złotych"
locations[0].voivodeship „Kanał Śląski będzie przebiegał przy Kuźni Raciborskiej, Rybnika, Żor, Tychów i Bierunia"
- zegluga-rzeczna.plSignificanceDescription
Significance „Śluzy o wymiarach 190x12x4 m pozwalałyby na żeglugę zestawami pchanymi o ładowności 3500 ton przy zanurzeniu 2,4 m. ... Kanał miał odpowiadać parametrom klasy IV drogi wodnej."
- Radio Eska Śląskie 26 Sep 2025StatusStageSignificance
Status „Obecnie obowiązujący Krajowy Program Żeglugowy do roku 2030 uwzględnia Kanał Śląski, ale jako planowane połączenie z perspektywą... po 2030 roku"
Stage „uwzględnia Kanał Śląski, ale jako planowane połączenie z perspektywą... po 2030 roku"