Exciting insights into port life: diving mission, starting aids and more!

Exciting insights into port life: diving mission, starting aids and more!

There is a lot to experience and discover in the port city of Bremerhaven, as a look at today, December 31, 2025, shows. While many are already preparing for the new year, the port operations are continuing with many activities.

Particularly interesting is the replacement of a lock gate of the Great Sea Lock in Emden, which will be examined in detail on Wednesday, January 7, 2026. For the television program on ARD alpha, which will be broadcast between 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., harbor diver Mike Engling dives to a depth of 13 meters to check the gate chamber and running rails for damage. Unfortunately, visibility underwater is very poor – as Keno de Vries describes it, similar to “buttermilk”.

The importance of the North Lock

A central element of the port infrastructure in Bremerhaven is the north lock, which is located in the city of Bremen's overseas port area. This not only impresses with its impressive dimensions - with a usable length of 375 meters and a passage width of 45 meters, it is one of the largest locks in the world. Since its construction under the direction of Arnold Agatz between 1928 and 1931, the Nordschleuse has played an important role in connecting the ports to the Weser. The construction cost 40 million marks at the time and was quickly viewed as the largest construction project in Bremen.

The entire lock area includes not only the lock itself, but also an outer harbor, a large turning basin and a combined rail and road bridge that opened in 1931. This impressive construction was for a long time the largest railway swing bridge in Germany and has been a listed building since it was recognized as a historical landmark of civil engineering in 2001.

Lively activity in the harbor

But that's not all that Bremerhaven has to offer. At 4:30 a.m. Jörg Danker opens the popular “Treff” gas station, which is an indispensable stop for port employees and truck drivers. There is a lot of traffic there, especially between 5:00 and 6:00 a.m. On this day there will be a delicious meatloaf for lunch, prepared by chef Olaf Brückner, which is sure to satisfy many hungry workers.

In neighboring Brake, crane operator Melanie Fischer is also causing a stir by using an unknown on-board crane to unload cellulose - a total of 25,000 tons, which will ultimately be processed into toilet paper and cardboard. When things have to happen quickly, the use of such devices can always cause surprises.

Not to be forgotten is Deev Wiebusch, who works as a breakdown assistant in the largest car port in the world. That day he had to jump-start 15 vehicles because a number of new cars simply wouldn't start after being unloaded. The different types of vehicles, including a tracked vehicle he has never seen before, make his job not easy, but no less exciting either.

In summary, it shows that Bremerhaven and its port are not only a place for trade, but also a lively center for encounters and challenges. With the valuable port infrastructure and the committed work of the local people, Bremerhaven remains an important player in the maritime economy.

ARD alpha reports that the replacement of the lock gate is not only of great importance technically, but also for the entire port work. The Wikipedia highlights the impressive infrastructure of the North Lock, which has ensured rapid shipping traffic for decades. Finally, that explains it Research information system, how important these facilities are for the connection to the transport networks and what role the public infrastructure plays in this.