White Sea-Baltic Sea Canal (Russian: Belomorsko-Baltiyskiy Kanal (BBK)), opened on August 2, 1933 is a ship canal that joins the White Sea and the Baltic Sea near St. Petersburg. Its original name was Belomorsko-Baltiyskiy Kanal imeni Stalina, "White Sea-Baltic Sea Canal in the Name of Stalin" and it is known under the abbreviation Belomorkanal. During the construction up to 100,000 Gulag prisoners had died.
The canal runs partially along several rivers and two lakes, Lake Onega and Lake Vygozero. The total length or the route is 227 km (141 mi). Its economic utility at present is limited by its depth, only twelve feet, which prohibits many vessels from using the canal.
The Soviets presented the Canal as an example of the success of the First Five Year Plan. Its construction was completed four months ahead of schedule. The entire Canal was built over the course of twenty months, between 1931 and 1933, almost entirely by manual labor.
The White Sea-Baltic SeaCanal (Russian: Belomorsko-Baltiyskiy Kanal (BBK)), opened on August 2, 1933, is a ship canal that joins the WhiteSea and the BalticSea near St.
In fact, the canal was the first major project constructed using forced labour, i.e., Gulag inmates.
There is a monument for the prisoners killed during the construction at Povenets, and a small memorial in Belomorsk near the entrance of the canal into the WhiteSea.
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