The Dresden Alberthafen Celebrates 130th Anniversary with Festivities

On August 9, 2025, the Saxon Inland Ports Oberelbe GmbH (SBO) and the Dresden-Hamburg Friendship Circle e.V. celebrated two significant anniversaries with a joint festive event: the 130th birthday of the Dresden Alberthafen and 30 years of committed partnership between Dresden and Hamburg.

(Dresden) The joint festive event with 200 guests from politics and business took place in pleasant late summer weather in the Albertgarten of the Alberthafen restaurant. In their greetings, Sebastian Hecht, State Secretary in the Saxon State Ministry of Finance, Dirk Hilbert, Mayor of the State Capital Dresden, and Markus Heilig, Head of the Department for International Cooperation in the Senate Chancellery of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, emphasized both the industrial and economic significance of the Alberthafen Dresden and the decades-long partnership between Dresden and Hamburg.

The Alberthafen is a symbol of Dresden’s economic strength and connection to the world. Dresden and Hamburg are connected not only by the Elbe but also by mutual appreciation and dedicated individuals. Vojtech Dabrowski, Head of the Inland Navigation Department in the Czech Ministry of Transport, highlighted in his greeting the important trade partnership between the Czech Republic and Hamburg and pointed out the significance of the Elbe waterway as the only navigable connection of the Czech Republic to a seaport.

Symbol of Dresden’s Development as an Industrial Location

Opened in 1895, the Alberthafen is not only a significant part of Dresden’s economic and transportation history but also a vibrant symbol of the city’s development as an industrial location on the Elbe. The port has evolved from the former “station of the waterway” to a modern logistics site that is an essential part of the urban infrastructure. To this day, it fulfills central logistical tasks and is an important transshipment point for heavy and project cargo, containers, trailers, and bulk goods – with connections to waterways, rail, and road. “The Alberthafen is a historical port with future prospects. For 130 years, it has been a driving force for economic development in Dresden and the region,” says SBO Managing Director Heiko Loroff. “We look back with pride – and forward with innovative strength.”

Since its founding in 1995, the members of the Dresden-Hamburg Friendship Circle have been committed to cultural, social, and civil society exchange between the Elbe metropolis in the east and the Hanseatic city in the north. The association was established to promote the exchange between citizens of the two Elbe cities after reunification. Over 30 years, diverse connections have emerged in culture, education, politics, and society. What began as a citizens’ initiative is now a solid bridge between two cities – supported by civic engagement, mutual curiosity, and genuine friendship.

For Togetherness and Open Dialogue

“Our friendship circle stands for togetherness and open dialogue,” emphasizes Inka Hüning, Chairwoman of the Friendship Circle. “In the past 30 years, we have enabled countless encounters – from cultural projects to student exchanges to political discussion rounds.”

Photo: © Romy Leimer / Image Caption (l. to r.): Marco Müller (City of Riesa), Vojtech Dabrowski (Czech Ministry of Transport), Sebastian Hecht (Saxon State Ministry of Finance), Heiko Loroff (SBO), Markus Heilig (Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg), Inka Hüning (Dresden-Hamburg Friendship Circle), Dirk Hilbert (City of Dresden)