The eastern part of the Świna is bypassed by the canal, providing a more convenient south-north connection for large ships from the Baltic to reach the industrial city of Szczecin (German: Stettin) more easily.

The canal, approximately 12 km long and ten metres deep, was dug during the time of the German Empire between 1874 and 1880, in the reign of the Kaiser Wilhelm I (r. 1871–1888).

'Emperor's Way', the canal allowed ships to circumvent the eastern branch of the Świna river, which was very difficult to navigate.

[1] In October 2020, an unexploded Tallboy earthquake bomb from the Royal Air Force's attack on German cruiser Lützow in 1945 was found in the canal.

[1] After evacuating approximately 750 people who lived nearby, an attempt was undertaken by the Polish Navy's 8th Coastal Defence Flotilla to deflagrate it with a remote-controlled device, but it exploded, without casualties.