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IWA Branch
Chester & District - Weston Point to Eastham Lock; Weston Point to M6 viaduct (south bank only)
Manchester - M6 viaduct to Manchester and Salford Quays and associated short canals.
Merseyside & West Lancashire
- M6 viaduct to the Weston Point (north
bank only)
Navigation Authority
Harbour Master,
Manchester Ship Canal Company, Queen
Elizabeth II Dock
Eastham, WIRRAL,
CH62 0BB
Tel 0151 327 1461
Fax 0151 327 6278
This is not considered a leisure waterway and the incompatibility of large ships and small boats means that hire cruisers are not usually permitted. Boat owners must seek permission to use the canal from the Manchester Ship Canal Company, proving that their boat is seaworthy, insured and has the required safety equipment on board. As commercial traffic has decreased, the regulations have become less onerous. There are links to the River Mersey at Eastham, the Shropshire Union Canal at Ellesmere Port, the River Weaver and Weaver Navigation at Western Point and the Bridgewater Canal via the lock in Pomona No 3 Dock.
The canal
stretches for 36 miles from Eastham, on the southern shore of the Mersey
estuary 6 miles from Liverpool, almost to the centre of Manchester.
|
Length |
Beam |
Height |
Draught |
|
600ft |
65ft |
70ft |
28ft |
|
182.8mm |
19.8m |
21.3m |
8.5m |
Boaters’ Services
As this waterway is not designed for
pleasure craft, facilities for small craft are limited.
Historical Information
Manchester Ship Canal, opened in 1894,
linked Manchester with the coast and provided access to the city for large
ocean-going vessels.
Further Information
Advice from IWA North West Region
- notes for small craft
For books, maps, guides, videos, DVDs and gifts on this waterway, click here
Local government links
