Seemannsheim Portside in Bremerhaven: closure at the end of 2025!

Seemannsheim Portside in Bremerhaven: closure at the end of 2025!

Bremerhaven, Deutschland - The SeemannShotel Portside in Bremerhaven will be closed at the end of 2025. This decision is the result of years of decline in overnight stays and increasing operating costs that can no longer be covered. The German Seemanns Mission (DSM) Hannover, which operated the hotel, has made this difficult decision, such as Weser Kurier. Fewer and fewer sailors use the facility, which led to loss of several hundred thousand euros per year.

In 2023, a total of 5,240 overnight stays were recorded in the portside, while this value dropped to only 3,670 nights in 2024. In the first quarter of 2025 there was even 600 overnight stays compared to the previous year. Among other things, this development is explained by the fact that seafarers are increasingly increasing directly from the aircraft onto the ship and shipping other hotels, often for cost reasons. In addition, the shorter laying times of the ships have reduced the use, as Seemannsmission.

a house with tradition

The SeemannShotel Portside looks back on a long history. It was founded in 1899 and opened in 1900 before it was rebuilt in 1950. Until the end, it offered 26 rooms that were available not only for seafarers, but also for tourist overnight stays. The sailor pastor Uwe Baumhauer emphasizes that despite the closure of the hotel, the personal care of the seafarers will continue to be the top priority. The Welome Seemannsclub is preserved and continues to offer support in an informal environment.

The decision to close the board of the German Seemann Mission Hanover was difficult, as Matthias Ristau, the Secretary General of the DSM, does. Nevertheless, he believes that it is necessary to look into the future and to develop new projects that better meet the needs of the seafarers. The creation of financial scope for such projects is also one of the goals of this decision.

support for seafarers remains important

Society has responsibility to guarantee seafarers access to social institutions, as is stipulated in the lake work agreement. The German sailor mission acts in this sense and operates numerous social institutions in large German and international ports. Over 700 volunteers are active and bring seafarers to sailor and clubs. There you can expect cheap accommodation and leisure activities.

These restructuring also benefits the Catholic Seemann Mission Stella Maris, which is also active in Hamburg, Bremen and Bremerhaven. The focus is on offering sailors a contact point and supporting them in smaller and larger concerns. Together, these organizations contribute to maintaining the dignity and well-being of the seafarers, as [https://www.deutsche-flagge.de/de/beszatung/seebeit/social facilities) describes.

With the associated sale of the building, which is planned for the end of 2026, a chapter of the maritime tradition in Bremerhaven is coming to an end. Nevertheless, the hope remains that new initiatives and projects can fill the gap and continue to offer support.