Germany: court rejects appeal against Elbe river dredging

The Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig dismissed on 28 November 2017 the actions brought by the towns of Cuxhaven and Otterndorf, as well as by Elbe and coastal fishermen, against the planning approval decisions for the fairway adaptation in the lower and outer Elbe. The court said that while assessing the appeals it decided to give priority to the public interest stemming from the deepened Elbe waterway. The project, aimed at adjusting the navigation channel on the lower and outer Elbe river, would enable the Port of Hamburg to accommodate mega ships. Around 130 kilometers of the river is to be dredged, enabling container ships with a 14.5 meter draft to reach the port. More information may be found here (in German).