The Havel–Oder–Wasserstraße (HOW) is the approximately 135 km long navigable connection between Berlin (Havel and Spree) and the German-Polish border at the Westoder at Friedrichsthal north of Schwedt.[1]
It is divided into four sections (Havel-, Scheital-, Oderhaltung and the Hohensaaten-Friedrichsthaler Wasserstraße (HFW)), which are connected by the Lehnitz lock, the ship's lift Niederfinow and the West Schleuse Hohensaaten. The approximately 6 km long route between the Havel and Lehnitz lock and about 48 km long peak position are together called Oder-Havel-Kanal. For the Oderhaltung (Wriezener Alte Oder) section of the river, also known as the Oderberger Gewässer. The German-Polish border forms part of the west or north Mescherin (enlargement of the total length by about 14 km) and the Berlin-Spandau shipping canal, the Berlin Westhafen on a short route with the Havelhaltung (by Spandau lock above the Spreemündung).[2]
The HOW is a federal waterway of the waterway class IV with restrictions.