The Dortmund–Ems Canal is a 269-kilometre (167 mi) long canal in Germany between the inland port of the city of Dortmund (51°31′30″N 7°26′40″E / 51.52500°N 7.44444°E) and the seaport of Emden. The artificial southern part of the canal ends after 215 kilometres (134 mi) at lock near Meppen. The route then takes the river Ems for 45 kilometres (28 mi) to lock. From there, the canal continues along a second artificial segment of 98 kilometres (61 mi). This latter section was built because inland ships at the time of the construction of the canal were not built for the open sea, which they would have faced at the Dollart and the entry to the sea port of Emden. It is connected to the from Emden to Wilhelmshaven.