Why were rivers and canals important for heavy industry on the European Plain?

During the 19th-century Industrial Revolution, rivers and canals were essential to the development of heavy industry on the European Plain because they provided a highly cost-efficient network for transporting bulk cargo, such as coal and iron ore.123

As heavy industry became localized near major coalfields—stretching from the Franco-Belgian border to the Donets Basin—the plain’s extensive system of natural rivers and artificial canals allowed for the movement of these heavy raw materials across the region. Unlike in some other parts of the world where canals struggled to compete with the speed and flexibility of railways, the inland waterways of continental Europe formed an integrated international network. This system allowed for economical transport without the need for frequent transshipment, supporting the growth of Europe’s most significant centers of coal, steel, and chemical production.1456