 Federal Water Ways
(click to enlarge picture)
Regular transport of good through the Oberweser
again – deepening not planned yet.
From Frank Thonicke
KASSEL. At present, there are still 140 million cubic
meters of water in the Edersee, which can hold up to 200 million
cubic meters. In the next few days it will be less. Then, at the
weekend, the Water and Shipping Authority in Hann-Münden will drain
more water.
The reason is: on the 31st of July, two cargo ships will travel
through the Oberweser to Hann-Münden. They are loaded with 407 tons
of cast iron parts imported from England and which are meant for
Richter, a company in Hessisch Lichtenau (Werra-Meißner region). In
order that there is enough water under the keel for these ships,
water has to be drained from the Edersee. In return, Richter – a
global manufacturer of large machine parts – will load a 166 tons
cast piece for a forge press, which will then be transported back
to England.
"The only route of transport for such heavy pieces is a water
way", says Joachim Kraus, company secretary and marketing manager
at Richter Maschinenbau. Many motorway bridges are too old. Kraus:
"Problems start at 130 tons. We are happy to have found an outlet
with the Oberweser."
At the end of June, the Mündener-Weser transhipment point was
activated again by Richter after 30 years. Euro 250,000 were
invested in loading cranes. There has already been two
transports.
Is the renaissance of inland navigation freight therefore
imminent? As a matter of fact, Richter, with 200 employees,
will transport more machine parts via the river. Two more shipments
are pending with the Water and Shipping Authority for late August
and early September. The down side: each time water has to be
drained from the Edersee because the Oberweser is usually too
shallow. Its normal level is 1.20 meter, but in Hann-Münden, there
is only 1 meter of water in the river. That is too little for
most inland navigation vessels. Many hope that one day the
Oberweser will be dredged. An interested party could be Kasseler
Düngemittel-Produzent K+S, a fertiliser producer. In theory, the
company could carry the salty wastewater with trucks to
Hann-Münden, to then load it onto ships for transport to the North
Sea. K+S have already thought this through. End result: not yet
worthwhile.
it would be different if the Oberweser was navigable at all
times. There are, however, no plans for expansion at this time.
Source: HNA Melsunger Allgemeine
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