Hamburg: Hapag-Lloyd calls for quick decision on Köhlbrand crossing

Will the Köhlbrand Bridge in Hamburg harbour be replaced by a tunnel or a new bridge? Or can the old bridge perhaps be preserved, at least for cars?

New construction without demolition

A second Köhlbrand Bridge would be the most sensible solution in economic, ecological and architectural terms, says the Hamburg Monument Association. It has long been calling for a review of whether the old bridge can be preserved. Gunther Bonz, the former President of the Port of Hamburg Business Association, had previously stated that the old bridge might not have to be demolished in view of the changing route plans of container shipping companies such as Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk, thus reigniting the debate on the preservation of the old bridge.

Connections

The existing Köhlbrand Bridge has connected the western harbour areas with those on the Elbe island of Wilhelmsburg since 1974. It also connects the port to the motorways to Flensburg, Kiel, Hanover and Bremen. With a clearance height of over 50 metres, the current bridge no longer meets future requirements and, according to current plans, is to be replaced by 2036. Due to considerable price increases for the previously favoured tunnel solution, the Senate is now also examining cheaper alternatives.
Marineforum reported on this on 21/08/2023 - "Köhlbrand Bridge of national importance".

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Debate

In this new discussion, the shipping company Hapag-Lloyd is now campaigning for a quick decision. Hapag-Lloyd criticises the fact that the Köhlbrand Bridge is now being discussed for almost as long as the deepening of the Elbe. It is important that a decision is made at some point, because Hapag-Lloyd is particularly affected by the future Köhlbrand crossing. The shipping company is involved in the most modern and efficient terminal in Hamburg, the Altenwerder container terminal, which is located behind the Köhlbrand Bridge and cannot currently be accessed by particularly large freighters due to the height of the bridge.

Container ship OOCL Singapore passing under the Köhlbrand Bridge, destination Altenwerder. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

If another bridge of the same height is built, this will not strengthen Altenwerder's competitiveness, says the shipping company boss. Although Hapag-Lloyd expects around ten per cent fewer containers to be handled in Hamburg than last year, it wants to be able to continue to come to Hamburg with the particularly large freighters in future, regardless of the planned cooperation with the Danish shipping company Maersk.

Tunnel or bridge

The City of Hamburg had previously planned either a tunnel or a significantly higher bridge with a view to the Altenwerder terminal. For the taxpayers' association, a second Köhlbrand Bridge of the same height would be more favourable on balance than the previously known alternatives.

The economic authority is currently examining whether, in addition to an expensive tunnel, a simpler variant or a new, significantly higher bridge is feasible.

The city will then decide in the course of this year how the Köhlbrand Bridge is to be replaced.
However, it will be a challenge if the alternative is to be completed by 2036.

Source: ndr