The shipping platform

Location: Cuxhaven is situated on the S bank of the Elbe Estuary, 56nm downriver from Hamburg and opposite the western entrance to the Kiel Canal. General overview: the port is a multipurpose port as well as a major fishing port with tidal and non tidal berths, handling ocean going and coastal passenger vessels, ferries, Ro-Ro and container traffic. There are 8 tidal harbours: Faehrhafen, Jachthafen, Vorhafen, Alter Hafen, Ritzebutteler Schleusenpriel, Alter Fischereihafen and Amerikahafen. There is a locked fish dock, Neuer Fischereihafen. It is not equipped for handling, nor does it handle, overseas commerce to any great extent, but is utilized principally as a depot for overseas passengers and as a center for the fish industry. It is also used as a harbor of refuge, and as a pilot, signaling, and quarantine station. The harbor now has a total water area of 151 acres, of which. 147 acres are available for ocean vessels. The total quayage in the port amounts to about 14,245 linear feet, of which 12,275 feet have sufficient depth alongside to accommodate ocean vessels. Most of the water area is included within three basins, viz, the Amerikahafen or Neuehafen, the Fischereihafen, and the Altehafen. The Amerikahafen in its entirety and parts of the Fischereihafen and Altehafen have been designated as a free zone, the total area of which is about 130 acres with approximately 8,807 linear feet of quayage and mooring berths. The largest basin in the port is the Amerikahafen, which contains about 100 acres. It was constructed to accommodate the largest passenger ships in the Hamburg trade and had been deepened to 40 feet at low water, but owing to the war it was never used for this purpose. The present depths in this basin, due to silting, range from 15 to 24 feet at low water. No attempt has been made to reestablish the 40-foot depth, as it was found that large ships could be berthed at Glueckstadt with as much safety and at much less cost. At present this basin is used as a refuge by small craft, fishing vessels, and salvaged ships. The Lentz quay, which forms its northern side, is equipped with five 3-ton electrically operated cranes, but these are used only in connection with salvaging operations, as little cargo is handled in the port. The Fischereihafen, or "fishery harbor," which is the busiest portion of the port, is about 3,200 feet long and ranges from 160 to 500 feet in width. Six fish sheds used for unloading and handling of fish have been constructed on the south bank. These sheds, with the exception of shed No. 3, are 500 feet long and 65 feet wide. All are 2-storied, the ground floors containing packing and refrigerating rooms while the second floors are used for offices and storage. Facilities: Floating dock for vessels up to LOA 140 m. Repairs: All deck and engine repairs possible. Traffic figures: Approx 4,000 vessels, 2,115,000t of cargo, 64,000TEU, and 397,200 passengers handled annually. Load line zone: North Atlantic Winter Seasonal Zone ll. Winter: Nov1-Mar 31. Summer: Apr 1-Oct 31. Max size: Tidal: LOA: 400 m, draught: 14.5 m. Lock size: LOA: 190m, BEAM: 24m, depth: 9.0 m, available at any tide. The largest vessel called at the port: LOA: 295 m, draught: 10.4 m, deadweight: 92,728 t.