Aussenansicht der großtechnischen Baggergutbehandlungsanlage METHA zeigt Förderbänder und Hügel aus getrocknetem Schlick
Above water

METHA - the washing machine of the Port of Hamburg

What happens if the sediments that need to be dredged from the harbor are too heavily contaminated? They are transported to METHA—a massive facility that processes, separates, and dewatered the sediment from the Elbe River. The treated sediments are then reused or safely disposed of at our dredged material disposal sites.

Innenasicht der großtechnischen baggergutbehandlungsanlage METHA zeigt zwei Hydrozyklone aus roten Rohren mit Menschen in Arbeitskleidung daneben
Hydrocyclones: These centrifugal systems are the heart of the METHA.
Innenasicht der großtechnischen baggergutbehandlungsanlage METHA zeigt ein Hydrozyklon aus roten Rohren
Centrifugal force separates the fine-grained silt from the coarse-grained sand.

From the mouth of the Elbe to the Port of Hamburg, several million tons of sediment are dredged every year so that the port remains accessible for ships. Where we take the dredged material depends on the quality of the sediments. That's why we regularly take samples of it and examine them very closely. Today, over 95 percent of the dredged material is contaminated to such a low level that it can be safely relocated in the Elbe or transported to the North Sea. However, if the contamination is too high, especially in the case of old deposits, we take the dredged material ashore to the METHA - the port's washing machine. The abbreviation stands for "mechanical separation of port sediments". We have been treating Elbe sediments in this plant since 1993, making the tidal Elbe ever cleaner.

In the first step, the dredged material is sorted and classified. This is done, for example, in huge centrifugal systems, the hydrocyclones: The centrifuging process separates the coarse material from the fine material - the result is sand, fine sand and, after drying in huge presses, so-called METHA material. The latter consists of particles that are even smaller than fine sand.</p

Aussenansicht der großtechnischen Baggergutbehandlungsanlage METHA zeigt Förderbänder Stege
80 kilometers of pipelines and 1,500 kilometers of cable are laid on the METHA site.
Innenasicht der großtechnischen baggergutbehandlungsanlage METHA zeigt eine große Siebtrommel zur Abtrennung grober Fremdstoffe
Wood, stones, scrap metal - the trommel screen sorts all the large components out of the sludge.

In a sand washing plant, the sand is thoroughly cleaned and freed from leaves, branches or pieces of wood. The form of processing in the METHA makes ecological sense and opens up new areas of application: both the clean sand and the fine sand can be used as earthworks material. The silt or METHA material is either used as a sealing material in silt landfills or is stored in an environmentally friendly manner - for example in the Feldhofe landfill in the Moorfleet district. It can also be used for dyke construction or the production of lightweight concrete, for example.

Our METHA was the first large-scale plant of its kind in the world and can process up to 230,000 tons of dredged material per year. It provides continuous basic cleaning of the Elbe river.
 

Video contributions to our METHA:


We make port videos: The Port of Hamburg's washing machine - how the METHA works

Our port TV report explains the individual processing steps

The Sat1 editorial team visits our METHA

 

Luftbild der Baggergutbehandlungsanlage METHA inmitten der grünen Elbmarsch bei Finkenwerder

FAQ about METHA - the washing machine of the Port of Hamburg

The most important questions and answers at a glance.

 

The METHA is a specialized large-scale plant for the treatment of contaminated dredged material from the Port of Hamburg. Sediments are mechanically separated, cleaned and dewatered there.</p

 

 

In order for the port to remain permanently usable for ships, sediment must be removed regularly on a regular basis. If the pollutant content is higher, it must be removed from the water and processed on land. Only then can the material be reused or disposed of.</p

 

 

No, the sediments are not actually cleaned in the METHA. However, by treating and separating the clean sand from the contaminated fine material, the quantity is reduced and can then be safely deposited or used.</p

 

 

Whenever investigations show that the contamination of the sediments does not allow them to be relocated in the Elbe or transported to the North Sea.

 

 

The material is sorted in several steps. The central elements are so-called hydrocyclones, which use centrifugal forces to separate fine and coarse components. The fine material is then thickened and dewatered in large presses. The sand can be used directly as a building material.</p

 

 

The dredged material is separated into sand and fine material (silt and clay). The clean sand can be used directly. The fine material is pressed and dewatered and then referred to as METHA material.</p

 

 

Large components are sorted out at an early stage using screening systems and disposed of separately.

 

 

Cleaner sand fractions are used in earthworks and construction, mostly at the HPA's own dredged material landfills. Finer components can be used, for example, for landfill sealing, in dyke construction or in special building materials. However, the majority of fine material contaminated with pollutants is disposed of safely.</p

 

 

Yes, the plant helps to remove pollutants from the sediment in a targeted manner and keep the Elbe and North Sea cleaner in the long term. It is also powered by green electricity and all wastewater is reused or treated very cleanly

 

 

The plant has been in operation since the early 1990s and was the only one of its kind in the world when it was commissioned.

 

 

Several hundred thousand tons of harbour sediment can be processed there every year.</p

 

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One hand holds a sample jar of silt up to the camera. A label from the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) with the inscription "Ref 14-3_20" and the sample date "16/17.08.2014" can be seen on the jar. The Elbe can be seen in the background.
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