Marine barge Friedrich A. Meyer: A farewell after 100 years!

Marine barge Friedrich A. Meyer: A farewell after 100 years!

On November 1, 2025, the naval barge “Friedrich A. Meyer” will say goodbye to the waves of Wilhelmshaven after 100 years of loyal service. This nostalgic event, which makes the hearts of maritime enthusiasts beat faster, is accompanied by the farewell trip with the godmother Ingrid Meyer and active and former crew members. The 14.32 meter long ship has been used daily for harbor tours since 2017 and has told impressive stories over the years.

The “Friedrich A. Meyer” was not just a means of transport, but a part of the city’s maritime heritage. With an impressive history dating back to 1925, when she was built at the Anker shipyard in Berlin-Rummelsburg, she served under various names such as Danube, Zander and Tourist. Before she came to Wilhelmshaven in 2016, she was traveling in the Leer harbor under the name Koralle. After extensive restoration, the ship was christened on April 3, 2017 by Ingrid Meyer, the widow of a founding father of the Wilhelmshaven Naval Museum.

The last season in review

In its last season, a total of 782 trips with 13,987 guests took place between April 1st and October 30th. The volunteer crews guided the guests through the harbor and gave exciting insights into well-known sights, including the berths of the battleships Scharnhorst and Tirpitz. In addition to an impressive participant record, the weather gods were not always kind, as some trips had to be canceled due to the weather.

At the end of the season, the barge will be retired from active service. However, the Marine Museum is already planning to moor a more modern barge to the museum quay this year as a replacement. More details about the future vehicle will be announced in mid-December. It remains exciting to see how the new barge will further enrich the maritime experience in Wilhelmshaven.

Shipbuilding and maritime future

The fate of “Friedrich A. Meyer” also sheds light on the broader maritime situation, not just in Wilhelmshaven, but globally. In the USA, for example, shipbuilding is being brought into focus by a new executive order that is intended to restore maritime industrial strength and thus also secure the national security situation. Dependence on foreign ships is a hot topic, with the erosion of U.S. shipbuilding capacity seen as a serious challenge. CSIS highlights that investment and cheapening of training programs for maritime workers are crucial to revitalize the sector.

While the traditional barge in Wilhelmshaven is retiring, the global shipbuilding industry is fighting for its competitiveness and survival. In this context, the farewell trip and the announcements made by the Naval Museum show that it may also be able to gain importance on an international level. The maritime story that “Friedrich A. Meyer” embodies continues, and the changes that lie ahead could already be the beginning of the next chapter.