Bremerhaven (Bremen, Germany)

Bremerhaven is a major North Sea port and the cruise port to Bremen City (riverport). Bremerhaven is located on the east side of Weser River Estuary (Germany's North Sea / Baltic Sea coast). 

The seaport was established in 1827 as a cargo port for Freie Hansestadt Bremen (Free Hanseatic City of Bremen / Germany's smallest state) to the south (located approx 50 km / 30 mi downstream Weser River). Train travel time from Bremerhaven to Hamburg is 1 hour 45 min. Road distance (via highways A1 and A27) is 95 km (59 mi).

Port Bremerhaven (locode DEBRV) is ranked the world's 16th-largest and Europe's 4th-largest containership port - with annual capacity 5+ million TEU-containers. The Port's annual Ro-Ro traffic includes 1,35+ million new cars (imported and exported), which is surpassed only by Rotterdam Holland.

A new Panamax-sized lock was opened in 2011, replacing the 1897-built Kaiserschleuse - back then world's biggest lock.

Bremerhaven is currently ranked Europe's third-largest car export port - after Zeebrugge Belgium and Emden Germany.

In 2017, for the first time Costa Cruises used Bremerhaven as homeport (departures on roundtrip itineraries) for Costa Magica, with scheduled 11 partial turnarounds. Other major cruise companies homeporting here include TUI, Phoenix Reisen, Transocean Tours.

In 2018, the cruise port reported a record season with handled 111 ship calls and around 230,000 passengers, which was 45% increase over 2017. Maiden calls in 2018 included the liners Norwegian Bliss, Mein Schiff 1, AIDAnova, Marella Discovery, Costa Mediterranea, Seabourn Ovation, Azamara Journey. In 2018, the port introduced new "cruise parking" packages, with optional pre-booking and luggage collection service from the vehicle. For 2019, the port had scheduled 121 ship calls with ~260,000 cruise tourists (~230 of whom booked on turnarounds/roundtrips).

As cruise port, Bremerhaven has total quay length 1 km and capacity to berth vessels with LOA length 350 m (1148 ft) and max draft 10 m (33 ft). The seaport has modern passenger terminal (Columbus Cruise Center) and good infrastructure with connections to highways and railways.

In 2022, Bremerhaven Cruise Port handled 230,000+ passengers, of whom ~90% homeport/turnaround.

In September 2023, GPH-Global Ports Holding BV (UK-based company, the world's largest cruise port operator) signed a 10-year port concession agreement (effective January 2025, with an optional 5-year extension/through 2040) with Bremenports GmbH & Co KG (representing Bremen City) for the operational management of Columbusbahnhof Bremerhaven Cruise Terminal.

Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven shipyard

Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven GmbH (1863-founded) is a shipyard used mainly for drydock repairs, ship refits/reconstructions and regularly scheduled maintenance works.

In 2015, GHK/Genting Hong Kong Ltd (1993-founded/2022-defunct Malaysian holding) purchased a 70% stake in Lloyd Werft, while having on order a total of 10 cruise vessels with the shipbuilder. In April 2016, GHK established the Lloyd Werft Group after purchasing Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven's remaining 30% and acquiring full ownership of Lloyd Werft Wismar, Lloyd Werft Warnemunde, and Lloyd Werft Stralsund.

Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven currently employs ~500 workers. The yard covers an area of approx 0,26 km2 (~0,1 mi2 / ~2,8 million ft2) and has a total of 11 drydocks.

Bremerhaven shipyard's facilities can accommodate vessels with max draft 11,5 m (37 ft).

Bremerhaven cruise terminal