Laurels for Northern Lock in Bremen
On 26 April, the official award plaque will be unveiled at the Northern Lock in Bremerhaven, making it a "historic landmark of engineering" with a ceremony some 90 years after it was built. The ceremony will be hosted by the Bremen Chamber of Engineers, whose federal association has been awarding the distinction since 2007.
The Northern Lock was built between 1927 and 1931 under the direction of Arnold Agatz (1891-1980), a hydraulic engineer and official of Bremen's port authority. At that time, the lock was designed for large fast steamers. It was then considered as one of the biggest locks in the world. Even the estimated construction costs of 30 million Reichsmark are impressive - today they would have to be multiplied by a factor of 3.6.
The lock comprises 2.3 km of quay walls with a height of 15 to 19.5 m, massive lock houses, two lock gates and a replacement gate, a swing bridge, railway and road facilities, as well as three high-storey engine houses, which are now protected monuments.
The Northern Lock is operated by bremenports. Its managing director Robert Howe sees the lock as a cornerstone of port operations in Bremen: "The Northern Lock is a historic architectural achievement. With its tireless reliability it has made an essential and indispensable contribution to the successful development of the port." (cd)