Bremen Ports have announced that the construction of the new Quay 66 has been completed after eighteen months.
The old Quay 66 was built in 1965 and guarded the entrance to Nordschleuse lock, which is located to the north of Columbus Quay. After various shipping accidents, the quay was no longer sufficiently stable. The sheet piling was severely damaged in 2017 when a car carrier collided with Quay 66.
“Access to Nordschleuse lock is of crucial importance for the ports of Bremen,” stated Bremenports managing director Robert Howe. “The new quay features state-of-the-art civil engineering and ensures the necessary operating reliability,” he added.
The first construction phase involved the demolition of the former quay for the ferry to England, where 75 batter piles with individual lengths of up to 45 metres were then driven into the old sheet piling.
A total of 116 bearing piles, each up to 43 metres long, and 119 filler piles were driven into the ground along a length of 320 metres with batter piles and round steel anchors tie-back anchoring.
The new sheet piling has been fitted with ladders, cross bollards and fenders. The area behind the new sheet piling will be filled with sand and roughly 4,000 square metres resurfaced.
The total project volume amounted to US$19.9 million (€17.7 million), half of which was funded by the Federal Land of Bremen, and the other half by the German government.
Senator Schilling stressed that the construction of the new quay is part of a comprehensive renewal strategy at the ports. “After the western quay at Kaiserhafen, Quay 66 is the second major project to be implemented as part of our ambitious infrastructure programme for the ports of Bremen,” noted the senator.
