The automotiive Terminal

Thanks to the Kaiser Lock and the North Lock, Bremerhaven has established itself as one of the world’s largest hubs for vehicle handling. The stable water levels at the terminal behind the locks ensure that the vehicles can be loaded efficiently into the straddle carriers on their own wheels. A connecting channel allows the vessels to sail between the two harbour basins. There are currently plans to build a new bridge here, in reflection of the fact that the width of the straddle carriers is steadily increasing. Until the bridge can provide a reliable connection to the Columbus peninsula in 5 years, the “Columbus hopper” ferry will remain in service as a floating substitute.