Dutch waterway (canals and inland waterways) connecting the port of Amsterdam with the Rhine River. From Amsterdam the canal passes to the southeast through Utrecht on its way to the Waal River near Tiel. Inaugurated in 1952, the canal has a total length of 72 km (45 miles) and contains four locks. It was enlarged in the 1970s and reopened in 1981. It is the most heavily used canal in western Europe and can handle up to four 3,000-ton lighters (unpowered barges) tied together and push-towed by a tug. The canal's minimum depth is 5.5 metres (18 feet).