Does the name Wilhelm Kaisen mean anything to you? Here at the Stromkaje, it should. This is more than just a quay. It’s a testament to Bremerhaven’s maritime ambition. It is a place where the world’s largest container ships dock.
The Stromkaje’s story began in February 1968. Construction started north of the Nordschleuse with a 700-meter stretch. The Bremer Lagerhaus-Gesellschaft AG financed the project. In April 1971, the first berth opened marking a new era for Bremerhaven.
Expansion became essential as trade increased. The southern extension began in February 1978. The northern extension followed in August 1980. Bremerhaven became the continent’s largest container handling facility after the northern extension opened in August 1983.
The Stromkaje continued to evolve. Construction of Container Terminal III started in October 1994. By December, Bremerhaven exceeded 1.5 million TEU. TEU means Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit. It is a standard measure for container volume.
In 1999, the federal government deepened the Außenweser waterway. This allowed larger ships to reach the Wilhelm-Kaisen-Terminal more easily. The Stromkaje thrived.
In December 2000, four Super-Post-Panmax container cranes arrived from China. These cranes could handle ships with capacities of 10,000 TEU or more. The Stromkaje was ready for the future.
Senator Josef Hattig initiated the extension of the Stromkaje by 340 meters in October 2000. This expansion was completed in the autumn of 2003. The Weserfort Brinkamahof II disappeared during this extension.
The Stromkaje reached a record length of 4930 meters with 14 berths after completion of CT IV in 2008. In 2010, the Container Terminal Bremerhaven entered the Guinness Book of Records. It was the world’s largest contiguous container terminal.
But, life at the Stromkaje isn’t always smooth. In May 2015, a container crane collapsed at the North Sea Terminal Bremerhaven. The boom fell into a ship’s hold. A fire broke out during salvage operations. The accident caused extensive pollution and disruption.
Today, the Stromkaje is operated by several entities. EUROGATE operates three terminals. NTB North Sea Terminal Bremerhaven is a joint venture between EUROGATE and Maersk Line. MSC Gate Bremerhaven is a joint venture between EUROGATE and the Mediterranean Shipping Company.
The Stromkaje stands as a symbol of Bremerhaven’s global reach. It shows its pivotal role in international trade. From its humble beginnings to its current status, the Stromkaje has seen it all. It is a place of constant activity. Ships arrive and depart. Cranes move containers. The Stromkaje never sleeps. The terminal facilitates the transport of goods. It connects continents.