Bremerhaven (Port)

Latest news

Kaiserschleuse Lock in Bremerhaven is to close again for repairs costing €24.5 million.

Two years after unexpected repairs closed it down for more than a twelve month period, the €233 million Kaiserschleuse Lock in Bremerhaven, built just six years ago, is to close again for repairs costing €24.5 million. Following discussions between bremenports, which operates the lock, and the firms responsible for building and repairing it, a spokesman for bremenports told Maritime Journal the work would start in 2018. However “the exact date has not yet been decided”, he added. The planning and carrying out of the latest repairs will cost some 24.5 million of which €2 million will be paid out by bremenports for improvements to the Kaiserschleuse which would have become necessary in any case with time. http://www.maritimejournal.com/news101/marine-civils/port,-harbour-and-marine-construction/troubled-german-lock-to-close-again

PROBLEMS DELAY NEW WESER LNG BARGE

Maritime Journal’ has learned that Bremerhaven’s innovative new €4.9million LNG driven hopper barge greenports 1 is taking much longer than planned to enter service because of gas pressure problems in its propulsion system. A spokesman for operators bremenports told Maritime Journal the new 70.5m long, 10.5m wide newbuilding was moored as of late October in the port’s Fischereihafen. It is now well over a year since the newbuilding had been expected to join the bremenports workboat fleet as “the first pure LNG driven hopper barge to serve in a German, and probably European port “. The spokesman said “the technical issues (with the ship) concern problems with pressure equalisation. A definite date for entering service has not as yet been set”, he added. The problems have apparently existed since the ship underwent dredging trials in Bremerhaven’s Überseehafen a year ago following its completion at Dutch shipyard SCHN in Foxhol. The ship was returned to Holland where further adaptations to the LNG drive system were made. It was towed back to Bremerhaven early this month but the problems remain, the spokesman said. http://www.maritimejournal.com/news101/industry-news/problems-delay-new-weser-lng-barge

Columbus Cruise Center Bremerhaven to host multiple maiden calls

Expedition cruise operator Hurtigruten’s Midnatsol made her maiden visit at Columbus Cruise Center Bremerhaven (CCCB) in Germany on 5 May 2017.| CCCB will welcome several other first-time visitors this year, including Thomson Cruises’ Thomson Celebration on 19 May, Costa Cruises’ Costa Magica on 30 May, Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Navigator on 23 September, and TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 3 and Mein Schiff 4. This year, CCCB will also host 37 calls from regular visitor Phoenix Reisen, while TUI and Costa will each make 11 stops at the port. Other season highlights will include seven double-ship days, three triple-ship days, and one four-ship day. The 2017 season will close with visits from Saga Cruises’ Saga Sapphire on 5 December and Saga Pearl 2 on 15 December. http://www.cruiseandferry.net/articles/columbus-cruise-center-bremerhaven-to-host-multiple-maiden-calls#.WRDj1tryi9I