Lake Constance ships with two million passengers
For the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the Bodensee-Schiffsbetriebe (BSB) have once again counted more than two million passengers. The two million mark was broken at the beginning of November, the shipping company announced in Constance on Thursday. The result is still below the average of the pre-corona years, but the company is satisfied, explained BSB Managing Director Frank Weber. Between 2017 and 2019, an average of 2.17 million passengers were transported on the 14 excursion boats and the ferry between Romanshorn and Friedrichshafen, according to the statement.
The weather-related slump in July and August is striking, explained Weber. "On rainy days and days with cool weather, comparatively few guests found their way onto the ship, while on warm, sunny days there was barely enough capacity on board."
The company also had to contend with lower water levels in spring. "The warm winters with little snow in recent years mean that the small amounts of snow in the mountains thaw quickly, and the amounts of meltwater typical of Lake Constance in spring are getting smaller and smaller." A low water level means slightly less comfortable boarding for guests and more work for the ship's crew.
14 BSB motorboats were on the water for cruises, excursions and charters. The smallest ship, the MS "Bayern", can carry 200 passengers, the largest - "München", "Stuttgart" and "Überlingen" - can accommodate 1000 passengers.
The season for the BSB ships starts in spring and ends in mid-October. In the fall months and during Advent and Christmas, there are occasional round trips and event cruises. "In the winter months, the ships are taken to the shipyard and refurbished," explained a spokesperson.
An overall balance sheet for the Vereinigte Schifffahrtsunternehmen am Bodensee is expected in the spring.
Despite the challenging weather conditions and lower water levels, Lake Constance's tourism sector showed resilience. The Bodensee-Schiffsbetriebe (BSB) reported that they still managed to attract leisure time seekers during the pandemic, with over 2 million passengers on their ships between 2020's start and November. This number, though below pre-pandemic averages, indicates a promising recovery in the shipping and tourism sectors.
Source: www.dpa.com
