Züblin-led consortium wins major waterways project in Germany

A visualisation of the proposed lock at Kriegenbrunn Image: Waterway Construction Office Aschaffenburg

The decision to replace the original lock was made following numerous efforts to repair persistent damage, since the lock was first put into operation in 1972.

The new lock promises to provide for increased operations on the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal, which ultimately connects the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean to the Black Sea.

The consortium on the project, comprising Ed Züblin, Züblin Spezialtiefbau, and Bauer Spezialtiefbau, is set to commence work in April 2024, with completion expected by spring 2032.

The team will construct a new single-chamber lock with three reservoirs, some 45m to the east of the existing structure.

Initial work will revolve around the excavation of a construction pit with a depth of 30m and a length of almost 200m. Züblin says the excavation pit poses significant engineering challenges, as the location lies partially in groundwater.

The construction team is expected to create approach areas with sheet pile walls and develop upstream and downstream canals during the eight-year project.

Klemens Haselsteiner, CEO of Strabag, said, “This demanding project, which we are carrying out during ongoing operations, is yet another example of our construction expertise. With this project, we are continuing to drive the expansion of modern infrastructure on our waterways.”