Fload and coastal protection

Since 1934, the Niederfinow boat lift has provided the link between Berlin and the Baltic Sea port of Szczecin between the apex of the Havel-Oder waterway and the lower section leading to the Oder. The new Niederfinow boat lift was built between the old lift and the historic lock stairs. In 2024, the project was nominated for the German Engineering Award.

Ship lifts are extraordinary and landmark solitary structures that are only built in Europe at long intervals and thus repeatedly challenge all planners and construction companies involved. With a lifting height of 36 metres, a slim counterweight hoist with a total drive power of only 1,280 kW represents a particularly sustainable alternative to the construction of a shaft lock or a flight of locks, both in terms of the materials used to construct the descent structure and in its operation.

The large number of trades and companies involved in the planning, execution, monitoring and control shows the outstanding engineering achievement behind this structure. Almost all HOAI service profiles were utilised in the planning and monitoring. In addition to the engineering, structural, landscape planning, architectural services, the services of technical equipment, environmental services and surveying are particularly worthy of mention.

With its attractive constructive design, inspired by the hall church of the nearby Chorin Abbey, and steadily increasing visitor numbers, which recently reached almost 200,000 per year, the New Ship's Hoist Niederfinow, together with the surrounding older facilities, has also become an important tourist attraction in the region.

Client: Wasserstraßen-Neubauamt Berlin

Processing period: 2010 – 2016

Main data:
Ship's hoist
Height above ground: 4.55 m
Width: 46.40 m
Length: 133.00 m
Trough
Usable length/total: 115.00 m/125.50 m
Usable width/total: 12.50 m/27.90 m
Total height (without drive house): 7,50 m
Total weight (incl. water): 9,800 tonnes

Services:
New construction of a ship lift (vertical counterweight lift)
New construction and adaptation of the neighbouring embankment
New construction of canal bridge
New construction of the outer harbours incl. connection to the existing canal
Production and assembly supervision of hydraulic steel construction