How it Works: Operations and Safety

How it Works: Operations and Safety. . , For more on the history of the Welland Canals, please visit our galleries inside the Museum. , Operations , The Welland Canal is operated by the Great Lakes / St. Lawrence Seaway Corporation. The Canal is mostly operated from the control centre on Glendale Avenue using a combination of radio and camera communications, and automated, hydraulic, and robotic mechanisms. The gates, filling and emptying, self-mooring system, lift bridge operations, and traffic signals are all controlled remotely., Most bulk carriers can travel through the Canal with assistance, but lock-tending staff remain at the locks to service pleasure craft or other ships that cannot self-moor. , Sliding the Wall , Often, it looks like the ships are off course, or about to hit a wall, when they approach the lock. Driving a big bulk carrier is a bit like driving a school bus from the back., so the master or Captain use the docks to line-up their approach with the front of the lock. , Watching an unbound ship moving into Lock 3, you will see the ship perform the Sliding the Wall manouver. The ship will move to the west-edge of the Canal once it has passed under the Queenston / Homer Bridge., Maneuvers such as Sliding the Wall illuminate the need for all ships to be familiar with all aspects of the Welland Canal - from structures such as bridges and tunnels, to the depth of the main channel. Foreign vessels locking through require a Pilot on board, as the Pilots are trained to guide these mammoth ships for the safety of everyone., Safety on the Canal , A number of safety features enable the Canal operating smoothly and efficiently. , The ship arrestor acts like a seat belt providing a barrier between the ship and the closed lock gates - just in case. , A digital board at each end of the lock displays sensor readings of the number of metres remaining between, so that pilots know how much space they have at the front of their large ships and their stop line, well behind the lock gates and arresting arm. , Another safety feature is the Hands-Free Mooring system which holds ships in place using a vacuum seal. Bollards and tie-offs are still in place for smaller watercraft that aren't able to use this self-mooring system., Passing in the Canal , It can be a tight squeeze, but the large bulk carriers can pass each other in the channel, facilitating two-way traffic at single-lift locks. Ships won't pass each other under bridges, which usually means that bridges are held open longer for two-way traffic.