The Datteln-Hamm Canal (abbreviation DHK) begins in Datteln as a junction of the Dortmund-Ems Canal. From here it runs in an easterly direction through Lünen and Bergkamen to Hamm. Here it ends in a large harbor basin in Uentrop.
The first section of the Datteln-Hamm Canal, including the Hamm lock, was opened to traffic with 600 t ships on July 17, 1914. In 1926, work began on extending the canal from Hamm to Schmehausen. In 1930, the first pile-driving strokes were carried out on sheet pile piles for the construction of the Werries lock. After the lock was completed, shipping began on August 23, 1933 on the second section of the DHK to Schmehausen. The planned extension to Lippstadt was never realized due to the lack of traffic. The total length of the DHK is 47.2 km.
In addition to shipping, the canal is also used to feed water into the canal system. In Hamm, water is taken from the Lippe in a feed structure and fed into the canal system (Datteln-Hamm Canal, Dortmund-Ems Canal, Rhine-Herne Canal and Wesel-Datteln Canal).
The city ports of Lünen and Hamm and several power station ports are the most important transshipment points at DHK, where coal, cement, sand, gravel, gas, oil and petrol in particular move from or to inland waterway vessels. The transport volume is around 7 million tons per year.
In the meantime, the importance of sport boat tourism and the recreational use of the DKH has increased more and more. Along the Datteln-Hamm Canal, as on the other canals in the Ruhr area, there are a number of harbors, stops and resting places for recreational boaters.