The new extension makes Bremerhaven’s Stromkaje Container facility the longest in the world at just short of 5km. Physical expansion stops there, at the edge of a national park, but officials say productivity improvements will increase handling capacity from 7m TEU now to 9m TEU.

Part of CT 1V was already in use in August, as seen in the photo, an indication of how badly the new site is needed. Bremerhaven box handling rose by 15.9% to 2.71m TEU in the first half of 2008.

Work started on CT 1V, the most ambitious marine engineering project ever undertaken by the state of Bremen, in June 2004. In charge has been a working group consisting of Hochtief Construction, Bilfinger Berger, Gustav W. Rogge and Strabag. Others involved have included surfacers Druge Fussbodenbau, port construction specialists Thyssenkrup GfT Bautechnik, sand blasting and corrosion experts Strako, heavy lift specialists Kronschnabel and Franke, the dredging company Drewaba and foundation contractors Keller Grundbau

Some 10m cu/m of sand have been dredged or brought in to create the site and 3,600 steel piles have been driven. The quay is supported by 743 solid piers each 40 m long and weighing 25 tons and some 40,000 tons of steel sheet piling was driven around the site.  

By Tom Todd