"Fridthjof": Lifting of the traditional sailing ship successful - it will now be scrapped

The sailing ship, which was built in 1881, was moored at its berth at the historic harbour shed 9 on Gone deep. The traditional ship was part of Lübeck's museum harbour. It is 32.50 metres long and 6.20 metres wide. The "Fridthjof" was built in Norway in 1881 for ice travel and was later used as a seal and walrus trawler.

According to the website of the Lübeck museum harbour, the ship used to offer guest cruises for up to 35 people and regatta cruises. It was also used for children and young people as part of adventure education programmes.

According to Nicole Dorel, spokesperson for the city of Lübeck, the "Fridthjof" was in "great need of refurbishment". Nothing has yet been revealed about the exact causes of the sinking.

Location of the "Fridthjof" was a problem

Due to the unfavourable location behind Shed 9, a shore-based mobile crane could not be used to salvage the "Fridthjof". Instead, the crane ship "Baltic Lift" was ordered. Its usual berth is in Rostock; it is 53.78 metres long and 17.85 metres wide. The "Baltic Lift" has a crane on board that can lift up to 200 tonnes. It was built at the Mützelfeldtwerft shipyard in Cuxhaven and first launched in 1974. The "Baltic Lift" is part of the "Baltic Diver Germany" boat fleet, and the company was hired to carry out the salvage of the "Fridthjof".

Lifting by the "Baltic Lift"

Before the salvage operation could be carried out with the crane ship Divers last week started to prepare them. Large sections of the rigging and mast were removed, as were loose parts. Yesterday, Monday, straps were placed under the ship, followed by the first lifting by the "Baltic Lift". After the cabin roof, the deck of the "Fridthjof" came to the surface. The operation was then stopped for the time being so that submersible pumps could be installed to pump out the traditional sailing ship. However, the use of the pumps was not sufficient, so a pumping lorry was deployed to support the submersible pumps.

Moving the "Fridthjof" postponed to today

Due to the late hour, work on the "Fridthjof" had to be interrupted in the late afternoon. Over the course of this morning, the 140-year-old ship will then be transported to its final resting place on an area of the Roddenkoppel in the crane of the "Baltic Lift" and laid down there. The responsible project manager, Tim-Erik Beier, told NDR: "Now the 'Fridthjof' will be lifted completely, leant against the 'Baltic Lift' to be moved to the Roddenkoppel. There the ship will be laid on a prepared sand bed." It will then be scrapped here over the next few weeks.

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