All prior traffic records were broken in the Saimaa Canal during the past season. The level of cargo traffic exceeded the target level of two million tons for the first time in history. The Saimaa Canal season lasts from April to January 20th at the latest - often the canal closes earlier due to cold weather.

   

The last winter was so warm that the canal was closed to traffic for only two months, which helped to break the records. A large part of the cargo traffic is comprised of wood, pulp, and paper exports and imports.

Passenger traffic

also broke records. Over 100,000 people sailed through the canal during the past season. When the next season begins in the spring, travel in the canal will no longer be free of visas, and the effect of this change is unknown.

   

The worst enemy of the canal is winter, which inhibits sailing through the 43-kilometre canal for a part of each year. An experiment where warm water is used to thin the ice layer in the locks is due to be continued next winter.

   

In the summer, the trip through the canal takes some six hours, but in winter, the journey can take up to ten hours. There are eight locks in the canal, and the elevation changes by 75 metres. The canal begins in Lappeenranta, with three locks on the Finnish side. The remaining five locks are in Russia, and the canal ends in Vyborg.

All locks will be remotely operated

next spring. Finland rents the canal area in Russia, and also operates the locks on the Russian side.

   

The current rental agreement is valid until 2013, but the Ministry of Transport plans to begin negotiations on an extension next spring. The Finnish industry is eager to see a new contract soon, as ten years is a short time when considering large investments.

   

The largest user of the Saimaa Canal is forest company Stora Enso, which accounts for nearly half of all the cargo traffic. Kari Anttila, in charge of logistics at Stora Enso, explains that using the canal is good for a company’s image. Using waterways burdens nature much less than road transportations.

   

Stora Enso would also like to see the canal open all year round. During the winter break, the company’s products are delivered by road or rail to ports.