Germans stall on JWP, movement elsewhere

As MJ went to press, talks were underway between JadeWeser Port (JWP) authorities and Eurogate, future operators of the €1bn deepwater terminal in Wilhelmshaven, about when it will open.

First phase operation of 1,000m of quay on 5 August is threatened by construction faults. Initially, 47 defective piling bolts were discovered and JWP MD Axel Kluth said they would cost about €15m to repair.

Latest reports say however that over 150 quay wall construction defects are now known and Kluth has revised the repair bill to the €40m to €50m range.

Eurogate doubts that first phase operation can start as planned. Lower Saxony, which is funding the project with Bremen, insists that it can. Compromise appeared inevitable given repair times and terminal test operations due to start on 5 May.

Reports said BUNTE was considering a new concrete wall in front of the old one and sealing some defects with steel plating. Experts reportedly doubt whether this will be effective long term and propose erection of a second wall of pilings in front of the old one. This will however take many months.

Prospects for an early start to Elbe deepening improved with agreement by Hamburg and two other German states ending years of talk. But objections could still stymy the project. Planning permission was granted in late April by Hamburg and the WSD shipping authority in Kiel. Ships drawing 14.5m will in future have tide dependent access.

WSD spokeswoman Claudia Thoma told MJ work would not begin before expiry of a 9 July deadline for objections. After that, “We could start construction work very quickly”, she added. The Hamburg Senate also said it was counting on work beginning this year.

Both comments followed a media report quoting Jörg Osterwald at the shipping office that will carry out the deepening work (WSA Hamburg) as saying objections could still delay dredging until at least 2013.

In Brunbüttel, at the North Sea end of the Kiel Canal, construction has begun as scheduled on construction of a fifth lock. Its building over five years was approved only recently by Berlin and the swift start reflects the urgent need for the new facility.

The new €300m lock, reportedly about 330m long, is essential for the future of the 100kms canal, the busiest man-made waterway in the world.

The existing locks are reported in danger of collapse. They will also be renovated later as part of a programme for the canal which also includes the straightening and widening of its northeastern section, deepening by one metre to 12m and renovation of locks in Kiel.

By Tom Todd