▁and ▁the ▁Black ▁Sea . ▁One ▁option , ▁which ▁re uses ▁the ▁name ▁" Vol ga – Don ▁ 2 ", ▁is ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁second ▁parallel ▁channel ▁(" second ▁thread ") ▁of ▁the ▁Vol ga – Don ▁Canal , ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁larger ▁lo cks ▁ ▁long . ▁This ▁plan ▁would ▁allow ▁for ▁an ▁increase ▁in ▁the ▁canal ' s ▁annual ▁cargo ▁through put ▁from ▁ 1 6 . 5 ▁million ▁t onnes ▁to ▁ 3 0 ▁million ▁t onnes . ▁The ▁other ▁option , ▁which ▁seems ▁to ▁have ▁more ▁support ▁from ▁Kaz akh stan ▁( who ▁would ▁be ▁either ▁canal ' s ▁major ▁customer ), ▁is ▁to ▁build ▁the ▁so - called ▁E uras ia ▁Canal ▁along ▁a ▁more ▁sou ther ly ▁route ▁in ▁the ▁K uma – Many ch ▁De pression , ▁some ▁sections ▁currently ▁form ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁much ▁shall ower ▁Many ch ▁Sh ip ▁Canal . ▁Although ▁the ▁second ▁option ▁would ▁require ▁dig ging ▁a ▁longer ▁canal ▁than ▁Vol ga – Don , ▁and ▁would ▁be ▁of ▁less ▁use ▁to ▁vessels ▁coming ▁from ▁the ▁Vol ga , ▁it ▁would ▁provide ▁a ▁more ▁direct ▁connection ▁between ▁the ▁C asp ian ▁and ▁the ▁Sea ▁of ▁Az ov . ▁The ▁E uras ia ▁Canal ▁would ▁also ▁require ▁fewer ▁lo cks ▁than ▁the ▁Vol ga – Don , ▁as ▁elev ations ▁in ▁the ▁K uma – Many ch ▁De pression ▁are ▁lower ▁than ▁the ▁Vol ga – Don ▁area . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁Vol god ons k ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category :