The proposed deepening of the fairway of the Lower and Outer Elbe is aimed at allowing container ships with a maximum draught of up to 14.5m unhindered access to and from the Port of Hamburg.

Planning permission was applied for as long ago as March of last year, and attracted a great deal of attention, not least because of the many objections raised. The Federal Waterways Administration Authority and the City of Hamburg have looked into concerns about dike safety and ecological criticisms of the proposed deepening of the Elbe. At the same time intensive talks were carried on with authorities and associations in Hamburg, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein that are responsible for dike safety and natural conservation.

In response to these concerns, the developers have now modified their project. The changes relate to a whole series of details of the execution of the fairway adaptation, for the most part having to do with the way in which the dredged materials are disposed of. Such materials will no longer be piled up against the

north bank of the Elbe as originally planned. Taking all the planning changes into

account, moreover, studies of the ecological implications of the deepening of the

channel have been supplemented or revised.

Hamburg's Senator for Economy and Labour, Axel Gedaschko said,'From

our point of view, the dialogue with all the parties concerned has minimised the conflict potential of the situation. Talks will continue into the next phase of the proceedings. This is the only way in which the application for planning permission can be brought to a positive conclusion, giving users of the port the planning security that is called for. The adaptation of the fairway is not just in Hamburg's interest, in the last resort, the whole region stands to benefit.'

Following reconsideration of the modified plans, public hearings will be held, probably in the first quarter of next year. If permission is then granted,

dredging operations may be able to start before the end of 2009, with the work  expected to take some 21 months. Shipping may however be able to benefit from a deeper channel just a few months after the start of the project.