The largest waterway intersection in Europe is located north of Magdeburg and has connected the Mittelland Canal across the Elbe with the Elbe-Havel Canal since 2003. As part of the German Unity Transport Project, the canal bridge has become an important element of the East-West link for shipping. The construction period was only a short five years.
Overview map of the Magdeburg waterway junction. Graphic: Maximilian Dörrbecker / CC BY-SA 2.5
The 918-metre-long trough bridge, which is independent of the river Elbe, is considered a technical masterpiece and saves inland waterway shipping between Hanover and Berlin a twelve-kilometre diversions across the Elbe.
It has now been drained and is expected to remain closed to shipping as well as pedestrians and cyclists until the end of May. According to the Elbe Waterways and Shipping Authority (WSA), the longest inland waterway bridge in Europe will become a major construction site for a comprehensive structural inspection and necessary repairs. Shipping will be diverted via the Elbe and the Rothensee and Niegripp locks. Skippers will have to take longer journey times and the water levels of the Elbe into account, according to the WSA.
Trough bridge - water is drained from the Mittelland Canal. Picture: MDR
Unfortunately, the desired effect of the waterway interchange - getting more freight onto the water and off the roads - has only worked to a limited extent. The initial usage forecast of 20 million tonnes was reduced to 6 million tonnes per year. Figures from the Directorate-General for Waterways and Shipping (GDWS) show that this target has also not been achieved since 2018.
Freight rates at the Magdeburg waterway junction. Graphic: GDWS
We can only hope that this will be corrected upwards in the remaining 60 years of utilisation.
kdk, Volksstimme, mdr, WSV
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