A large ship, a hopper dredger with the name "Alexander von Humboldt" and a crane, is sailing on the Elbe. A waterfront landscape and the port of Hamburg can be seen in the background. The sky is partly cloudy and the sun is reflected on the surface of the water.
Under water

Where to put the silt from Hamburg?

To ensure that ships have access to the necessary water depths, millions of tons of silt are dredged from the Port of Hamburg every year. But where does this material end up? Our map shows the current disposal sites in the Elbe and the North Sea.

map
 
Wetsand

 

Neßsand

The transfer point at the Hamburg state border, which has been in use since 1995, can only be used in the winter months for water protection reasons. From there, however, the sediment quickly returns to the port, where it has to be dredged again. The aim is to reduce this recirculation dredging to a minimum in future by improving sediment discharge.</p

 


 
St. Margarethen

 

St. Margarethen

The HPA is allowed to use this transfer point of the Federal Waterways Administration (WSV), which is 60 km away. Up to 1 million cubic meters of dredged material from the federal waterway in Hamburg can be relocated here all year round. However, the tide washes most of the sediment back into the port after a while.</p

 


 
New Lüchtergrund

 

New Lüchtergrund

The HPA is allowed to share the use of this dredging site of the Federal Waterways Administration (WSV), which is 115 km away. Up to 1 million cubic meters of dredged material from the federal waterway in Hamburg can be transported here every year during the winter months. The sediment does not return to the port from there.</p

 


 
Hamburg Outer Elbe

 

Hamburg Outer Elbe

The HPA, together with experts, has carried out extensive investigations and prepared expert reports that prove that the 120 km distant transfer point is fundamentally environmentally compatible. Individual issues are currently still being coordinated by experts. A decision will then be made as to whether this option will be used to provide additional relief for the disadvantageous dredging circuits.</p

 


 
Ton E3

 

Bonne E3

Bin E3 is located 160 km away in a natural silt area of the North Sea. Schleswig-Holstein has approved the shipment of up to 2 million tons of dredged material per year. From there, the sediment is not returned to the port. Extensive monitoring shows that all environmental regulations are being complied with.</p

 


 
AWZ

 

E EEZ

The HPA has applied to the responsible Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) for the shipment of up to 2.5 million tons of dredged material per year to a location 200 km away in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in June 2022. The approval process will take several years.

 


Sediments are a natural component of the Elbe and North Sea

Aerial view of a dredging vessel working on the Elbe. The ship is equipped with several booms and pipes. The sun is reflected on the swirling water surface, a red buoy floats nearby.
Dredging and transportation is carried out using modern suction hopper dredgers. Different sizes are used depending on requirements.

To ensure that the necessary water depth in the Elbe is usable for all ship sizes, we take care of the so-called water depth maintenance throughout the year. Behind this somewhat unwieldy term lies a complex system that not only involves dredging many tons of sediment such as silt from the Elbe, but also the intelligent handling of the material. It makes the most sense to leave the dredged material in the water, provided it only contains low and harmless levels of pollutants. This is ecologically sensible and sustainable, as we return the sediments, which are a natural component of the Elbe, to the river in this way. However, it also makes economic sense, as bringing the dredged material ashore at great expense in order to reprocess it in a special plant is very energy and cost-intensive. 

 

So what to do with the excess silt from the Elbe?

The city of Hamburg has various so-called transfer sites available for depositing the surplus silt like a string of pearls, these sites are located along the Elbe from Hamburg to the North Sea. It goes without saying that all transfer points are carefully inspected by experts. This ensures that there are no unacceptable negative effects from the shipment.</p

<p>The longest-used option for returning dredged sediment to the river is the dumping site near the Elbe island of Neßsand. Depending on the tide and discharge conditions, the current takes the dredged material towards the North Sea or back to Hamburg. However, as the outflows have been consistently very low in recent years, the silt from Neßsand was usually  quickly washed back into the port of Hamburg, where it had to be dredged again. This circular dredging is not very sustainable and must therefore be reduced at all costs.
 

Elbe estuary or North Sea: the dredged material does not come back from there

It is better to transport the dredged material to the Outer Elbe or the North Sea, as it cannot be returned to the port from there. The HPA has several transfer points available there: The "Tonne E3" on Schleswig-Holstein territory has proved its worth. It has been in use since 2005 and is accompanied by close monitoring. The license for the use of this transfer point was renewed for 10 years in 2023. We are also permitted to use the Neuer Lüchtergrund in the Outer Elbe - this transfer point is under the jurisdiction of the federal government and is only intended for smaller quantities of silt from the Port of Hamburg. The same applies to the federal transfer point at St. Margarethen. This is also located so far upstream that some of the sediment from there returns to Hamburg. When the Elbe's outflow is low, the transfer points are not sufficient to limit recirculation dredging at Neßsand to the necessary level.

<p
HPA video on sediment management in the Port of Hamburg

Wind farms and marine protection: dredged material in the EEZ?

An additional option for completely removing the sediments from the Tidal Elbe is another dumping site in the EEZ - the so-called Exclusive Economic Zone west of Helgoland. We submitted an application for approval for this to the responsible Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency in spring 2022. However, it remains to be seen when and whether legal approval can be expected. And because the Port of Hamburg always needs planning certainty, Hamburg is also examining other options in the tidal and outer Elbe as well as the territorial sea. These include a potential shipping point in the Outer Elbe in Hamburg. The necessary impact forecast for this is already available

.

FAQ on dealing with silt in Hamburg and the Elbe

The most important questions and answers at a glance.

 

Water depth maintenance includes all measures to ensure the required water depths in the Elbe and in the Port of Hamburg on a permanent basis. This includes the continuous monitoring of the fairways through soundings, sampling and analysis of sediments and dredging and dredging to eliminate shallow depths.

 

 

Due to natural flow and sedimentation processes, sediments are regularly deposited in the Elbe, predominantly fine-grained silt. In order to maintain the water depths required for shipping and keep the navigation channels usable for the current ship sizes, these deposits are regularly removed.</p

 

 

Sediments are an important natural component of the Elbe. If the silt only contains low and harmless levels of pollutants, it can remain in the water without any negative ecological impact. This conserves resources and avoids expensive and time-consuming treatment and disposal on land.</p

 

 

A transfer point is a professionally inspected and approved area in the Elbe or the North Sea where dredged sediments can be returned to the water system in a controlled manner.

<p

 

 

Dispersal points are used to deposit excess silt from Hamburg and the Elbe in a controlled and ecologically compatible manner. The natural flow conditions transport the sediments there and redistribute them throughout the system.</p

 

 

There are several professionally tested and approved transfer points along the Elbe and in the North Sea. These include Neßsand, St. Margarethen, the Neue Lüchtergrund and the North Sea transfer point Tonne E3.

<p

<p>Hamburg is also examining additional options, including a possible transfer point in the Hamburg Outer Elbe and in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

 

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