[1] Major places along the canal include Franeker, Dronrijp and Deinum.

It was named after Pieter Albert Vincent van Harinxma thoe Slooten in 1950 who was King's Commissioner to Friesland from 1909 to 1945.

The lock Tsjerk Hiddessluizen situated at the connection to the Harlingen harbour maintains the water level in the canal.

The canal has been engineered to allow CEMT class IV vessels to transverse.

The opening of Spoorbrug HRMK broke down on 7 September 2021, closing the canal to shipping at this point.