Page 20 - Hafen Hamburg | Broschüre | Port of Hamburg Magazine 4.2020

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20 | Port of Hamburg Magazine | December 2020
Three questions for...
Prof Dr Hans-Heinrich Witte, President of the Directorate-General of WSV – the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration
The WSV – Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration – is running two major projects in Northern Germany simultaneously: The ad- justment of the Elbe fairway and widening and upgrading of the Kiel Canal. How important are these projects for Germany as an international location?
Along with other major projects in Northern Germa- ny, fairway adjustment on the Lower and Outer Elbe and the Kiel Canal play a significant role for ex-
As the WSV, you are also responsible for a large part of the fairway of the Outer and Lower Elbe. Are you geared up for the future with the now completed extensions?
With the fairway adjustment on the Lower and Out- er Elbe, we have taken a significant step towards adequately shaping this vital waterway for the fu- ture. International shipping has already profited from the enlargement of the passing box off Wedel since the beginning of this year. On completion of the construction work in the middle of next year, it will also be possible to exploit the improved oppor- tunities for unloading. The new arrival profile with its various options – movement independent of, or dependent on the tide, extended opportunities for encounters and use of the holding area in Brunsbüt- tel – offers flexibility for shipping on the Lower and Outer Elbe. We shall therefore be well equipped as we embark on the future.
The Federal government is investing 500 million euros just in the realignment of the Eastern sec- tion of the Kiel Canal. A total of 2.6 billion euros are earmarked for its upgrade and enlargement. Which tasks fall to the WSV?
Primarily for large vessels, the 20-kilometre section of the canal between Grosskönigsförde and Kiel- Holtenau is a bottleneck. In future, even these will be able to pass each other here. For 125 years, the canal – around 100 kilometres long – has been one of Northern Europe’s main traffic arteries. Forming part of the Trans-European Transport Network, it is a vital link in the concept of a ‘Motorway of the Sea’. As a transport route into the Baltic region, the Kiel Canal plays an important part for feeder services to and from the ports in Hamburg, Bremen, Bremerhaven and Wilhelmshaven. Above all, that applies to the Port of Hamburg, for one in every three containers handled there transits the Kiel Canal. The canal provides routing and transit time advantages that give the German North Sea ports a competitive edge.
The Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration is the responsible contracting agency for all the con- struction measures on the Kiel Canal. With the aid of engineering offices, we plan the measures, put these out to public tender and have the projects im- plemented by construction companies. Should plan- ning approval processes be required, those are han- dled by the appropriate department of the Waterways and Shipping Directorate-General. ■ (jh)
Prof Dr-Ing. Hans-Heinrich Witte
port-orientated Germany. Seaport gateways such as those in Rostock and Wismar, plus the fairway ad- justments of the rivers Weser and Ems, including the corresponding hinterland infrastructure, are cru- cial for Germany as a major economy. Efficient, reli- able and environment-friendly transport routes are essential for competing effectively. On all expansion projects and maintenance work, it is essential that the various interests in the region be taken into ac- count. To ensure this, we maintain a close and con- tinuous dialogue with regional stakeholders.
© WSV