Able to cover only half of the harbour's running costs - the Hamburg Port Authority (photo: www.hamburg-port-authority.de)

City Senate considers financial cuts for Hamburg's harbour

Being a ‘City of Water’ is certainly one of the remarkable features of Hamburg. But while residents and tourists are enjoying this geographical circumstance, it is also accompanied by problems. Environmentalists are fighting the deepening of the river Elbe, the construction of the Elbe philharmonic hall drowns the pockets of taxpayers and, now, maritime misery is brought on by a financial plight of the port administration and the ensuing debate about possible public money support.

Environmental associations want plans to deepen the Elbe to be stopped immediately. Photo by Jutta Höflich

For the third time the planning documents related to the deepening of the Elbe were opened for inspection, but were once again considered by environmental associations to be unlicensable.The BUND (Alliance For Environment and Nature Conservancy Germany) and WWF (World Wide Fund For Nature) are demanding the abolishion of the plans. Also the Federal Office for Nature Conservation and the admistrative districts of Stade, Cuxhaven and Steinberg share the same reservations.