Attention Elbe sailors: anyone currently planning to visit Glückstadt should be prepared for a tight mooring situation. The lock has been closed since 22 June 2026 and will remain so until the end of August; the inland port is not accessible by boat. In the outer harbour, visiting boats should expect to be allocated small berths.
Maintenance work and a tight situation in the outer harbour
The lock at Glückstadt is currently completely closed to shipping. Since 22 June, and until 28 August (provisionally), ships have been unable to enter or leave the inland port. The reason for the eight-week closure is routine inspection and maintenance work.
The floodgate, which separates the picturesque inland harbour from the outer harbour, protects the town from flooding and storm surges; the town is regarded as one of the most attractive stop-offs along the German Ferry Route between Bremerhaven and Kiel.
The local residents have moved out
The mooring situation in the outer harbour is somewhat tight, as Klaus Kühn, harbour master of the Glückstadt Sailing Club, reports: “We’ve now moved all the boats that are normally moored in the inner harbour out to the outer harbour. That’s why it’s already quite full, even with just our own boats.”
Nevertheless, there has still been room for guests so far, according to Kühn. However, visiting boaters must be prepared to moor alongside other boats more often. At weekends, the situation can be a little less crowded when the club’s boats set off on trips.
It is not possible to reserve berths, and the harbour master is not always on site. Visiting boats may, if necessary, moor at the waiting jetty initially and then keep an eye out for a free berth marked with a green sign. The waiting jetty is on the port side as you enter the outer harbour.
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