Dredging work is underway at the Gyeongin Canal in South Korea, which is expected to be open in October this year.

The proposed 18km-long waterway, being built at a cost of KRW2.25trn ($2m), will be the nation’s first canal.

The waterway will link the Han River in Gaehwadong, Seoul, and the West Sea and will have terminals in the port cities of Incheon and Gimpo.

The canal, which will be 80m wide and 6.3m deep, will be used by freighters with a capacity over 5,000t and ferry services running to and from Yongsan in central Seoul to Chinese ports.

The opening of the waterway is expected to reduce logistics costs by $1bn.

The canal will also reduce congestion on roadways between South Korea’s metros and Incheon, according to arirang.co.kr.