The deepening of the fairway on the Outer and Lower Elbe, which leads in to the Port of Hamburg, can begin after Germany’s Federal Administrative Court approved procedures.
After a delay due to two subsequent planning procedures being criticised by environmentalist groups over dredging, the port can now move towards providing a better draft for the 20,000 TEU vessels calling at the port.
After the fairway adjustments are completed, ships with a draft of 13.50 metres will be able to leave Hamburg with 1,800 more containers per call, while the ‘passing box’ downstream from Hamburg will make the Elbe navigable for mega-ships in both directions.
Gerald Hirt, Managing Director of HVCC, discusses Hamburg terminals in a recent Port Technology technical paper
Axel Mattern, Joint CEO of Port of Hamburg Marketing, commented on the project: “This is very good news for our trading and shipping customers worldwide and for the whole Hamburg Metropolitan Region.”
Ingo Egloff, of the Port of Hamburg’s executive board, added: “We have waited a long time for today and are now hoping for rapid implementation.”
Hamburg is the third largest container port in Europe, and has the most extensive inland rail network across the entire continent.
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