As of: March 9, 2024, 3:29 p.m
By: Elias Bartl
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A fleet of ships anchored off the coast of Lower Saxony causes amusement.
But behind the maritime spectacle there are logistical challenges.
Lower Saxony - The waters off the west coast of the Netherlands and along Lower Saxony's coastline currently offer an unusual sight - a fleet of anchored ships that is causing laughter and humorous comments on the Internet.
But what is behind this maritime spectacle?
There are many anchored ships on the North Sea coast.
This causes amusement on the internet.
(Symbolic image) © DPA/Screenshot
Rotterdam and Lower Saxony: Anchored ships as an unusual sight
The port city of Rotterdam plays a key role in this.
A shipping merchant from Bremen explains this to our editorial team.
As the largest cargo port in Europe, Rotterdam is busy all year round.
In addition to the commercial freighters, which make up a significant proportion of shipping traffic, holiday ships, private boats and Bundeswehr training ships also pass through the busy North Sea.
This often means that ships have to stay at a safe distance from the ports before they are allowed to enter.
Maritime spectacle: Why ships anchor off Lower Saxony's coast
The ships that are anchored in the North Sea off Lower Saxony could have various reasons, says the expert.
Draft plays a crucial role, especially at the port of Hamburg, where fully loaded container ships use the tide to gain more distance from the ground.
In addition, weather-related delays and a lack of berths can result in ships lying “at rest” off the coast - ready to unload their cargo and wait for new orders from their shipping companies.
“This is how small dinghies are made”: Anchored ships on the North Sea cause laughter online
On the online platform Reddit, users joke in a post: “This is how small dinghies are made,” it says, alluding to the curious arrangement of the anchored ships.
While the ships off Lower Saxony continue to wait patiently to enter or leave, the maritime spectacle remains an amusing distraction for observers on land.