A RULING from European Court of Justice has made it more difficult Bremen and Hamburg to start dredging unless they make provisions to ensure the quality of marine life.
But the ports said they hoped the judgment would permit dredging to go ahead in Hamburg, Germany's largest port. German courts must now make a decision on dredging project applications using the new judgment.
The German ports of Hamburg and Bremen had wanted to dredge rivers to make it easier for new large containerships to reach them regardless of tides, in the face of intense competition from Dutch and Belgian rivals Rotterdam and Antwerp.
Ports have argued that dredging is in the public good as it creates jobs and greater economic activity in their cities. But German environmental protection association BUND had complained to the European Court that a project to dredge the river Weser in Bremen would cause excessive damage to water quality and so damage marine life.
"In view of the overriding public interest the port industry is optimistic that despite the stringent conditions in the water regulations, the deepening and widening of the Elbe will achieve planning approval," the association of Hamburg port operating companies UVHH said in a statement.
PORTS
02 July 2015 - 19:10
Hamburg hopeful of wiggle room after court makes Elbe dredging harder
A RULING from European Court of Justice has made it more difficult Bremen and Hamburg to start dredging unless they make provisions to ensure the quality of marine life.
PORTS
02 July 2015 - 19:10
Hamburg hopeful of wiggle room after court makes Elbe dredging harder
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