Baltic Sea: Access to the Darßer Ort emergency harbour is cleared for the first time

By the end of April, the access road to the Darßer Ort emergency harbour, which has silted up again, is to be brought back to depth. A new method will be used at this location.

Whereas previously the sand was removed and dumped using a dredger, this time a kind of giant hoover is being used. This is located on a mobile pontoon and is connected to a pipeline via a flexible connection. The suction material - 21,000 cubic metres - is fed directly into the emergency port via this pipeline as the first step in the planned Renaturalisation of the basin. According to the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Ministry of the Environment, around 3.5 million euros have been spent on dredging since reunification.

It will be decided today, Wednesday, whether the sea rescuers stationed at Darßer Ort will remain on site during the measures or have to move to Barhöft. The new procedure may allow them to remain on site during the daytime work.

Meanwhile, Environment Minister Till Backhaus (SPD) has presented the concrete plans for the new harbour at the pier in Prerow, which will replace the existing emergency harbour. In addition to the station for sea rescuers, it will have 44 berths for fishermen and yachts in difficulty as well as a jetty for passenger ships and an emergency berth for a large vessel. A new, 720 metre-long and wider pier will also be built. Backhaus puts the expected costs at 30 million euros, which is roughly in line with previous calculations.

The planning approval process is set to begin this spring, with construction work starting at the end of next year. The rescue cruiser is then scheduled to take up its position there in 2021, which would make the controversial emergency harbour in the core zone of the national park history once and for all. The new harbour is expected to be fully usable at the start of the 2022 water sports season.