Muddy waterway: Uns Fritzing” cancels trips to Lieps!

Muddy waterway: Uns Fritzing” cancels trips to Lieps!

This season in the Lieps nature reserve the motto for the liner “Uns Fritzing” is: Stop! Due to significant siltation in the connecting canal between the Tollensesee and the Lieps, trips have to be stopped. The Neubrandenburg transport company decided against using the severely impaired route, even though approval was available for it. This divided the SVZ with.

Already towards the end of last season there were technical difficulties that were due to the poor condition of the canal. Despite these problems, the timetable of the ship “Uns Fritzing” remains unchanged: it runs twice a day from Wednesday to Sunday from 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. from the pier at the bathhouse. Stops such as the water sports center, Gatsch Eck and Klein Nemerow are still served, while the stop in Prillwitz is no longer available. The ship stays in port on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Another choice for nature lovers

For everyone who still wants to visit the nature reserve, there is the option of taking the “Mudder Schulten” to the Lieps. This first trip will take place on July 1st at 10 a.m., followed by another at 3 p.m. Captain Eckhard Lüdemann plans to continue the journeys despite the critical situation in the connecting canal. His “Mudder Schulten” only has a draft of 90 centimeters when fully loaded and has no keel, which makes passage easier. These features allow the ship to maneuver quickly through the muddy passages while guiding its passengers through a paradise for geese, sea eagles and kingfishers.

However, Lüdemann also expresses concerns about the water levels: “A further decline could have a major impact on our trips,” says the experienced captain, who has been working on Lake Tollense since 1978 and has been leading the “Mudder Schulten” since 1983. If the water continues to sink, it may be necessary to reduce the number of passengers in order not to endanger the historic ship.

Weaknesses and challenges of waterways

The situation in Neubrandenburg is not only important locally. The condition of inland waters in Germany is a big issue. Loud Federal Environment Agency Around 90 percent of federal waterways are considered to have undergone significant structural changes. These challenges significantly affect shipping, especially in light of climate change, which is making extreme low water events the new normal. Measures to renaturate rivers and floodplains are urgently needed to ensure transport routes for the future.

The planned desilting of the connecting canal between Tollensesee and Lieps, originally scheduled for last year, was postponed to 2026 due to environmental and cost reasons. The city of Neubrandenburg plans to cover the additional costs through funding or through cooperation. The situation therefore remains tense and it remains to be hoped that both the “Mudder Schulten” and the “Uns Fritzing” will soon be able to resume their trips to the usual extent.

With a mixture of commitment and patience, residents and boating enthusiasts hope that the water situation will soon improve and the usual shipping in the nature reserve can return.