Olympic construction is said not to limit Czech ports in Hamburg

Berlin - The planned construction of the Olympic complex in Hamburg will not restrict access to the sea from the Czech port there. In an interview published today by the Hamburger Abendblatt, Christian Ancker, the honorary consul of the Czech Republic in Hamburg, said this after discussing the issue with the city administration of northern Germany.
    "The planned constructions for the Olympic Games will not worsen the situation for Czech ports," Ancker stated. He also indicated that new bridges intended to span the Elbe between the Czech port and the sea are not problematic. "We were told that the new bridges will not be lower than those already standing. Everything will remain as it is," he said.
    The main harbor area of the Czech Republic in Hamburg is the so-called Saale Harbor (Saalehafen), covering an area of 21,000 m². Adjacent to it is the Vltava Harbor (Moldauhafen) with an area of 3,000 m². Czechia was concerned about access to the Vltava Harbor following the announcement of plans for construction related to Hamburg's candidacy to host the Olympic Games in 2024.
    The Saale and Vltava Harbors were granted to Czechoslovakia for 99 years based on the Treaty of Versailles in 1929, until 2028. In the same year, Czechoslovakia also purchased an area of 8,000 square meters known as Peute Harbor (Peutehafen). Since 1993, all port areas have been managed by the Czech Republic.
    Hamburg's ports were particularly significant for Czechoslovakia in the past. After 1989, the privatized company Československá plavba labská claimed the ports, which declared bankruptcy in 2001. The dispute over the ownership of the area also led to reduced usage of the ports.
    In March of this year, according to the Directorate of Waterways of the Czech Republic, reconstruction of the Vltava Harbor area began. The original structures, which were in a state of emergency, were removed, and during this year, 2,500 m² of handling space for storing goods and parking trucks is to be built. Czechia is interested in reinforcing the use of its Hamburg ports in the future.