Posted on February 10, 2020
Vessels with a combined width of up to 98 metres may now pass each other in a widened section of Germany’s Elbe river known as the ‘passing box’.
The five-kilometre stretch under Federal jurisdiction now has a width of 385 metres.
Similarly, the fairway along the 36-kilometre stretch between Wedel and the mouth of the Stör has been widened from 300 to 320 metres. Now, in this segment ships with a combined width of 92 metres may pass or overtake each other.
The holding area at Brunsbüttel has also been completed. This has been available as anchorage since the end of last year – when allocated by the traffic control centre. This offers ships dependent on the tide, and unable to make the tide ‘window’ for currently unforeseeable reasons, the opportunity of waiting during the new low water phase. The holding area forms an essential element of the safety concept.
By Jake Frith
Source: maritimejournal.com
