The installation of the gate at the outer head of the 5th lock chamber in Brunsbüttel was an impressive milestone at one of Europe’s biggest construction sites involving a hydraulic engineering project.
On September 25, 2026, the steel sliding gate was successfully floated into the outer head of the 5th lock chamber on the Elbe side and moved into its final position. The task was preceded by extensive preparatory work: After the Elbe-side sheet pile wall was dismantled, a floating crane lifted the upper and lower carriage sections into place before divers performed the final inspections.
Due to tidal influences and the associated currents, the actual floating process began at high tide. Three tugboats spent around three hours precisely maneuvering the gate, which weighs approximately 2,000 metric tons, into place. There, it was set down on the lower carriage sitting under the water and coupled with the upper carriage.
This marks the achievement of another significant milestone, although there is still some work to be done on the steel hydraulic structures and on the electrical and control systems before the gate is fully operational.
Our activity on this major project dates back even further: WTM Engineers initially carried out the project and structural design before taking over construction supervision together with our INGE partner IRS Stahlwasserbau Consulting AG on behalf of the WNA NOK, the federal construction authority for the Kiel Canal.
