Open the sluice gates
Locks facilitate waterborne transport. Sometimes they themselves have to sail on a boat, as was the case with the gate of the Oslebshausen lock in Bremen recently, which was transported 60 km back to its lock after being renovated and upgraded recently.
The module weighed no less than 800 t, was about 36 m long, 7 m wide and 16.7 m high. The newly-renovated gate of the Oslebshausen lock in Bremen had to be transported from a Bremerhaven shipyard to Bremen’s industrial port. The 60 km route was covered with the help of a floating crane as well as two tugs.
Over the past few months the lock gate had been repaired and completely revamped in the fishing port of Bremerhaven by the company German Ship Repair. In addition to this routine work, the 16.7 m high gate was also fitted with an additional high-floods protection wall, which was another 1 m high. This was designed to protect the sluice system against higher storms in the future. The overall cost of the renovation work amounted to approximately EUR 3 million.
All-round renovation scheme
Another generally overhauled lock gate was installed in Oslebshausen in June last year. In the next few months another refurbished gate will be re-installed in the lock. The removed gate, in turn, will be upgraded in accordance with the model of previously modernised gates, with a further invitation to tender set to be issued. The reconstruction and repair work on the entire set of lock gates will be completed according to plan in 2019.
The Oslebshausen lock facilitates operations in the port of Bremen’s industrial gateway, which handles almost half of the city of Bremen’s cargo. Steel products, timber, project cargo consignments, vehicle and plant components, mineral oils, building as well as waste materials and other goods are all handled on the quays there.
Important access
Bremenports managing director Robert Howe pointed out how important the access is for operations. “In order to improve the overall situation in the port, its basins have been widened and deepened in recent years. This enables larger ships to reach the hub too.” Howe also mentioned a noticeable throughput revival. He added that the deepening of the port’s basins in the industrial segment of the hub will be continued in the coming years.
