Saimaa Canal sailing season ends on 14 November

Saimaa Canal sailing season ends on 14 November

The Saimaa Canal delegates have decided that the sailing season in the canal will end on 14 November 2025. The season will end early, because there is no vessel traffic in the canal.

Each year, the delegates agree on the length of the sailing season and the date on which it will open for traffic. This year, the season was agreed to last from 26 May to 31 December 2025. However, with no vessel traffic in the canal, the season will end earlier. The decision on the length of the sailing season is made according to the Saimaa Canal lease agreement adopted by Parliament.

Following the decision to end the season, no cargo or passenger vessels will pass through the canal. During the sailing season, the traffic is subject to government decisions and the sanctions imposed by the EU.

Under the government decision currently in force, the border crossing points of Haapasaari, the port of Nuijamaa and Santio on the border between Finland and Russia have been closed for maritime traffic. These are crossing points for pleasure craft referred to in the Schengen Borders Code. For this reason, it has not been possible for leisure boats to cross the border and use the Saimaa Canal.

During this sailing season, by the beginning of October there had been 401 lockings at the Mälkiä lock on the Finnish side.

The Saimaa Canal is 43 kilometres long. Nearly half of the canal runs through an area leased from Russia.

Inquiries:

Seppo Kykkänen, Head of the Saimaa Canal Delegate's Office, tel. +358 29 534 2580, sep-po.kykkanen(at)gov.fi