European court ruling hits Bremerhaven and Hamburg’s dredging plans

The German port of Bremerhaven has lost a case in the European Court of Justice which will have implications for all ports in the European Union.

The port planned to deepen parts of the river Weser so that larger container ships can call at Bremerhaven, Bremen and Brake.

This plan to increase the depth of the navigable channel of the outer Weser from the sea to Bremerhaven by 1.16 m and to deepen the lower Weser by 1 m had been submitted to the German Federal Administrative Court.