The Turkish government has published the route of a navigable canal that will connect the Marmara Sea and the Black Sea, duplicating the Bosphorus Strait. The global project, called «Canal Istanbul» (Kanal İstanbul ), will be about 45 kilometers long, up to 400 meters wide and up to 25 meters deep. According to the plans, the construction of the canal will start in Istanbul's coastal district of Küçükçekmece on the Büyükçekmece Lake, which is connected to the Marmara Sea. The canal will then go to the Sazlidere Dam north of the city and connect to the Black Sea north of Lake Durusu.
«The crazy project» - as it was then dubbed - was first announced by current Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during his election campaign in 2011.
However, as early as 2013, the country's Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan said authorities had changed their minds: «We now believe it is a realistic project. Environmental planning and preparation should be done particularly carefully, which will relieve Istanbul'sshipping traffic as a result».
The project is of great economic importance for the country, as shipping on the Bosphorus is regulated by Montreux Convention, and «Kanal İstanbul» will be under full control of Turkey. New residential developments will be built on its shores, and a marina and the third airport for the Turkish capital will be built on the Black Sea side.
Turkey has already started drilling work on the shore of the Küçükçekmece area.
