waterway (canals and inland waterways) connecting the cities of Antwerp and Liège in Belgium. The Albert Canal is about 130 km (80 miles) long. As completed in 1939, it had a minimum bottom width of 24 metres (80 feet) and could be navigated by 2,000-ton vessels having a maximum draft of 2.7 metres (9 feet). Enlargement of the canal began in 1960, and it can now handle push-tow units of 9,000 tons with a draft of 3.4 metres (11 feet). Traversing a highly industrialized area, the canal has six sets of triple locks and one single lock at Monsin (Liège), the fall from Liège to Antwerp being 56 metres (184 feet).