Image Source: ShipSpotting.
The Kiel Canal, built between 1887 and 1895, links Brunsbüttel, near Cuxhaven, with Holtenau, near Kiel. It is 160m wide, 61 miles long and is spanned by seven bridges, with ships up to 235.5m by 32.5m in size able to use it. Small cruise ships also frequent the canal, and these photos by Andrew Cooke were taken from a northbound passage of Fred. Olsen’s Braemar in May 2018.
The 6,382gt chemical products tanker Bothni (2013) heads south towards the River Elbe. She is owned by Ciresa Shipping BV of the Netherlands.
Kiel Canal queue: the 16,023gt container vessel Christopher (2008), owned by 5 Navigator Schiffsbeteiligung, leads a trio of ships down the Canal. These include the 7,636gt tanker Astral (2008) and the 6,326gt container vessel Njord (1995). All were heading south from Kiel Holtenau and were waiting at a passing place at Fischerhutte.
The Type 332 Frankenthal class mine hunter M1059 FGS Weilheim (1998) passes the 4,156gt coaster Bugoe (1995) heading south near Kudensee. The latter is owned by Solano Spirit Maritime Ltd. Both ships were passing Braemar as she waited at a passing place.
Owned by Shipowners Support BV, the 6,565gt and 2009 built ro-ro heavy load carrier Rotra Mare, which was converted from a container ship, heads south for Cuxhaven with wind turbine components from Rendsburg.
Ohle Jurgen Reederei KG’s 3,999gt container vessel Dornbusch (1996) leaves the locks at Kiel-Holtenau with a cargo of empty containers on her way towards the North Sea from the Baltic Sea.
