Kiel Fjord News

As part of the Clean Autonomous Public Transportation Network (CAPTN) initiative, Anschütz' research into autonomous systems and assistance systems onboard ships that support navigators has made progress in 2023. In the Remote Operating Centre (ROC) which is set up on land at Anschütz, the MV Wavelab -- a research catamaran that is operating on a maritime test field on the Kiel Fjord in Germany -- is monitored. Part of the ROC is a complete digital twin with all the data provided by the various existing and experimental sensors and systems on board the Wavelab.

German industrial conglomerate Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TMS) plans to use 3D printers increasingly in manufacturing submarine parts. This offers decisive advantages over conventionally produced components.The corresponding quality and safety approvals have already been granted. Through acquisition of the thyssenkrupp TechCenter Additive Manufacturing (in Mülheim an der Ruhr, North Rhein-Westphalia), the required technology and expertise will now come to the Kiel Fjord. It is planned to complete the transition by June 2020.Dr. Luis Alejandro Orellano, COO of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems said: "3D printing opens up completely new potentials for us. In the design engineering, we no longer have to consider the limits of conventional manufacturing processes everywhere.

The latest newbuilding of Holland America Line’s fleet (HAL) “Nieuw Statendam” arrived in the Port of Kiel from Stockholm for its maiden call in the last week, on Thursday morning (23rd May).During the on-board reception, the Managing Director of the Port of Kiel , Dr Dirk Claus, welcomed the ship’s Captain to the State Capital City of Schleswig Holstein and presented him with the handmade plaque for the vessel’s maiden call manufactured by the metal artist Patrick Schloßer.Dirk Claus said: “Kiel has been an integral part of Holland America Line’s itineraries for the eleventh year in a row now. We are very proud that Kiel belongs to the ports where the latest newbuilding of the shipping company is showcased.”In addition to the vessel “Nieuw Statendam”…

The new pilot transfer tenders ‘Dithmarschen’ and ‘Steinburg’ were named in Brunsbüttel at the 3rd of July. Of a new type and identical design, these will be deployed by the Elbe and NOK I pilots’ associations in the heavily frequented entrance to the Kiel Canal. Around the clock and in all weather and all seas, these steel-hull craft with an aluminium superstructure ensure a rapid and safe transfer service. The shape of these ships has been adapted to the special conditions in their area of operations, e.g. short, high waves, as well as the special demands of the pilot transfer service in these pilotage waters. Among these are the short approach run to the vessel, safe running along the ship’s side, rapid casting off and turning away from ships served.

A module of the new cruise ship AIDAnova has been released into the water for the first time at the Neptun shipyard in Rostock, which belongs to the Meyer Group. This is the first of two floating parts, so-called Floating Engine Room Units (FERU), which was placed onto the Warnow river with a special lowering device. The complex module, which stretches over 120 meters long, 42 meters wide and is three decks high, is carrying AIDAnova's four Caterpillar dual-fuel engines, and hence is the heart of the vessel. The shipment of the first AIDAnova module from Rostock to the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg is scheduled to take place from September 25-28, 2017, depending on the weather conditions. It’s time to set sail as planned next Monday, September 25, 2017, at 10 a.m.

Rail/ship intermodal handling achieves double-digit growth. The port of Kiel said it successfully maintained a sound handling result in 2013. With a performance of 6.32 million tons the result for the previous year was even slightly surpassed by 12,000 tons resp. 0.2 %. The ferry lines form the backbone of the port’s business, rising up to 5.1 million tons (plus 1.3 %) and thereby making up more than 80 % of the total handling rate. The biggest increase was achieved by Stena Line on its route Kiel-Gothenburg, while DFDS Seaways features the highest transport volume.

Third terminal berth for large cruise ships in operation. When the “AIDAcara” is heading out to Copenhagen at around 5 p.m. today,  October 2, Kiel’s cruise shipping season will find its preliminary finish for the current year. Preliminary, as one more ship will again be welcomed in December on its Advent Cruise. So, Port of Kiel saw 128 calls by 22 different cruise ships with a total tonnage of more than 7.8 million GT. More than 360,000 passengers embarked or disembarked. Dr Dirk Claus, Managing Director at Seehafen Kiel GmbH & Co.

On March 31, 2010 the roof at the HDW Shipyard in Kiel, Germany slid open to reveal to the daylight the what is claimed to be the world’s largest solar powered vessel, a wavepiercer catamaran named Planet Solar. Appearing small against the back drop of the giant crane hoisting her to the water and the enormous ship building halls she was assembled in, the 101.7 ft long, 52.5 ft wide carbon fiber craft was launched a few hours later into the Kiel fjord, floating to her lines and looking more like a misplaced space ship than an ocean going yacht.

Port of Kiel (SEEHAFEN KIEL GmbH & Co KG) Managing Director Dirk Claus said: “passenger and cargo traffic developed in different ways last year. We just missed the 5 million ton mark in cargo handling, but at the same time we can look back on the port’s highest passenger totals for ten years. Given the current global economic situation, it’s a good thing that we are so multi-faceted in the Port of Kiel. The number of passengers passing through Kiel last year grew by 12.6 %. “The significance of sea tourism has increased a lot over the past few years and has grown into an important market segment for the Port of Kiel”, said Claus. “Our investment in terminal facilities is now paying off”.