New lock construction
What Rotterdam is to Switzerland's connection to the world's oceans, the so-called "hinterland transport" along the 727 km of the Elbe is to Hamburg (695 km of the Rhine are navigable). The fuel efficiency of inland shipping provides a boost for further construction projects. If the water level is sufficient, that is...
Due to the foreseeable end of the service life of a ship lift in Scharnebeck, the replacement construction of a lock to eliminate bottlenecks in the area of the existing ship lift on the Elbe Lateral Canal, which connects the Mittelland Canal with the Elbe River, is to be brought forward. Construction costs are estimated at around €330 million.
Fig.: HHLA
The new dimensions will allow individual vessels up to 135 meters long and push convoys up to 185 meters long to navigate the 38-meter difference in elevation. This will ensure that the side canal meets future shipping requirements and connects the hinterland, so vital to the seaports, to the Hanseatic city. That is, of course, assuming the water level is suitable. The Mittelland Canal , at 325.3 kilometers the longest artificial waterway in Germany, connects to the Rhine via the Dortmund-Ems Canal and the Rhine-Herne Canal.
The new Lüneburg lock is planned to have a chamber length of 225 m and a chamber width of 12.50 m. The new structure will be built 60 m west of the existing boat lift. This close proximity between the two structures presents a significant challenge, as both will exert considerable loads on the ground.
The planning and construction of the project are being carried out by the Waterways Construction Office (WNA) Hanover on behalf of the Waterways and Shipping Office (WSA) Mittelland Canal / Elbe Lateral Canal. A planning group has been established in Geesthacht for this purpose. According to current plans, construction is expected to begin in the mid-2020s and be completed in the early 2030s.
