New German boat lift can carry 50 blue whales over Polish-German canal

• A massive new boat lift in Germany can carry the equivalent of fifty blue whales over a canal between Poland and Berlin.
• The 133 by 46 metre (145 x 50 yard).
• The lift is located roughly 50 kilometres (31 miles) from Berlin.

The massive new boat lift in Germany can carry the equivalent of fifty blue whales over a canal between Poland and Berlin.
To accommodate massive, contemporary barges, the country’s largest concrete elevator opened its doors to ships on Wednesday.

The 133 by 46 metre (145 x 50 yard) and 55 metre (180 foot) tall technical marvel is located in Niederfinow, eastern Germany. According to Volker Wissing, Germany’s minister of transportation, this represents “the future of inland waterway transit.”

The lift is located roughly 50 kilometres (31 miles) from Berlin and takes only a few minutes to elevate boats over a height of 36 metres, enabling for quick and easy transport from the Polish port of Szczecin to Berlin.

The massive concrete structure with its metal cable mesh stands out against the lush greenery of the fields beside the Oder-Havel Canal in Brandenburg.

The elevator was constructed to replace an older one that had been there since 1934 but was unable to keep up with the demands of contemporary marine transportation.

Location of Interest for Vacationers

Wissing, speaking at Tuesday’s opening, compared the larger version’s carrying capacity to “50 adult blue whales or 1,600 elephants.” The new version is 30 metres longer than its predecessor and can carry nearly twice as much weight.

However, the construction process was not without its challenges; it took eight years longer than expected due to factors such as late deliveries, a bankrupt supplier, a lack of available workers, and the coronavirus pandemic.

The project has been called the “maritime BER” by local media, in reference to Berlin’s late-opening airport. When it was first completed, the historic structure boasted the highest boat lift in the world.

A massive lift at China’s Three Gorges Dam now holds the record; it lifts and lowers boats a whopping 113 metres. The historic lift in Niederfinow, a small community of about 600 people, will remain in operation until 2025 and serve as the primary tourist attraction.

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