Elbe Side Canal: A massive lock is set to replace the Scharnebeck ship lift

​With the launch of the planning approval process, one of Europe’s largest inland waterway projects has cleared its next hurdle. On the Elbe Side Canal, a gigantic lock is to replace the Lüneburg ship lift, which is around 50 years old. The new structure is intended to safeguard the long-term capacity of this important inland waterway and enable it to accommodate larger vessels.

​The Directorate-General for Waterways and Shipping (GDWS) has launched the planning approval process for the replacement of the Lüneburg lock. The approval process will take at least two years. A planning approval decision is expected in the late 2020s. Construction is scheduled to begin in the early 2030s, with the works expected to take around ten years.

​Lukas Brodersen, Head of Department at the Hanover Waterways Construction Authority: “With the launch of the planning approval process, we are taking a major step towards the realisation of this pioneering infrastructure project. The new lock will not only increase capacity but also make an important contribution to shifting transport to environmentally friendly modes of transport. In doing so, we are taking a decisive step towards modernising the Elbe-Seitenkanal waterway and securing its future.”

​Why a new lock is needed

Today’s Lüneburg ship lift near Scharnebeck is one of the most striking structures on the Elbe Side Canal. With a drop of around 38 metres, it bridges the difference in height between the River Elbe and the Mittelland Canal. The Elbe Side Canal is one of the most important links between the Mittelland Canal and the Port of Hamburg and, as the seaport’s hinterland connection, is therefore a ‘lifeline’ of North Germany’s transport infrastructure.

However, the facility no longer meets the requirements of modern inland waterway transport. The ship lift came into operation in 1975 and was originally designed for the ‘Europaschiff’ (length: 85 m, width: 9.50 m, draught: 2.50 m). Although the canal is, in principle, approved for the currently standard vessel class, the ‘large motor cargo vessel’ (GMS) with a length of 110 metres, as well as for pushed convoys of up to 185 metres in length, only vessels up to 100 metres in length can pass through the ship lift. At the same time, as the facility ages, the risk of prolonged outages increases – with significant consequences for shipping traffic on one of Germany’s most important north-south waterways.

​Construction of the world’s tallest lock

Plans are therefore in place to build a new lock chamber to the west of the existing ship lift. The lock chamber is to have a usable length of 225 metres and a width of 12.5 metres. This will enable significantly longer inland waterway vessels and entire pushed convoys to pass through the Elbe Side Canal in future without the need for time-consuming splitting into sections.

The lock will also overcome a head of around 38 metres, making it the highest water-saving lock in the world. To keep water consumption as low as possible, a sophisticated water-saving system comprising several water-saving chambers will be used. In addition, the approach harbours upstream and downstream of the lock will be widened and extended. New waiting areas and a modified access route are intended to make entry and exit safer for vessels. The axis of the new lock will be offset by approximately 120 metres parallel to the west of the axis of the ship lift.

Construction of the lock whilst operations continue

During the estimated construction period of around ten years, the existing ship lift is to remain in operation as a matter of principle. Only once the new lock has been completed and brought into service will the ship lift be taken out of service. This is intended to minimise disruption to shipping traffic on the Elbe Side Canal.

​For several years now, the ship lift has been undergoing a complete overhaul in stages. The work is expected to be completed in 2028 with the refurbishment of the western trough. The comprehensive refurbishment is intended to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the ship lift until at least 2051. However, the new descent structure is due to be operational in good time before the ship lift reaches the end of its remaining service life, which is expected to be in the 2040s.

The importance of the lock for recreational boating

Although the project is primarily aimed at commercial shipping, recreational boaters will also benefit from the improved operational safety. The ship lift is the only crossing on the Elbe Side Canal between the River Elbe and the Mittelland Canal. If the facility fails, lengthy detours are necessary. The new lock is intended to make the connection more reliable in the long term, whilst also meeting the requirements of a modern waterway.

What does the planning approval process involve?

With the launch of the planning approval procedure, the statutory approval phase now begins. All planning documents, expert reports and environmental studies are available for public inspection or are online available for viewing. Until 24 August 2026, public authorities, organisations and members of the public may Objections to the project submit. The planning approval authority will then examine all submissions and issue the planning approval decision, which grants the necessary planning permission. Detailed information on how the new lock will operate and an overview of the construction project can be found on the website of the WNA Hanover.

Further background information on the Elbe Side Canal:

• ​Elbe Side Canal: The ‘Heide-Suez’ turns 50