- More ships are being towed on the Oder-Havel waterway
On the Oder-Havel Waterway, the ship lifts in Niederfinow (Barnim district) have handled more ships this year than ever before. From January to July, a total of 6,008 ships and boats have passed through, an 18% increase compared to the same period last year. The Waterways Construction Office Berlin announced this. The number of cargo ships handled increased by 37% to 1,968. More passenger ships and pleasure boats also passed through the two Niederfinow facilities.
Since October 2022, a new ship lift has been in operation on the canal - the old one continues to run. The new lift can accommodate larger ships. The goal is to increase cargo traffic on the water and strengthen the connection between Berlin and Stettin. According to the statistics office, there was a 33% increase in the transport of goods on Brandenburg's inland waterways in the first three months of 2024, or 116,700 tons to 474,900 tons.
Celebration of the 90th Anniversary
The ship lifts in Niederfinow in the Barnim district are also a major attraction and are considered milestones of engineering. The 90th anniversary of the old lift will be celebrated on this Saturday (10.08.) as part of the Day of Industrial Culture. It is planned to continue operating it until at least the end of 2027.
The facility in northeastern Brandenburg is the oldest still-operating ship lift in the world, the Waterways and Shipping Office Oder-Havel announced. A varied visitor program with historical boats, icebreaker trips, rescue demonstrations, and guided tours is planned for the anniversary celebration. The 1934-inaugurated lift will be festively illuminated in the evening.
The new ship lift is also nominated for the engineering prize. The winner will be announced on 28 November. With the lifts, ships overcome large height differences.
The Barnim District, specifically Niederfinow, has seen record-breaking ship traffic this year at its lift facilities on the Oder-Havel Waterway. During the celebration of the 90th anniversary of its oldest operating ship lift on August 10, visitors can witness this historical milestone of engineering in action.
