The legal tug-of-war to the deepening of the Elbe river in the last round. On Friday (29.05.) the Federal administrative court and advises in Leipzig again, on the legality of the identified planning (Az: BVerwG 7 A 1.18). In doing so, the improvements that had decided the Federal government and the country after the verdict of the Leipzig judges in February 2017. The plaintiff environmental groups doubt that the interventions in nature can be compensated with the measures provided for effectively.

A key role of the Hemlock Water dropwort, which grows in the world only in the tidal Elbe plays again. Of up to two metres high, Umbelliferae had already taken care of in the main proceedings, that the German Supreme administrative judge considered the deepening of the Elbe river as unlawful. They lifted the freeze and gave the Federal government and the country a couple of homework in order to make the deepening of the Elbe river a lawful construction project to. The Hemlock Water dropwort got an additional home instead of in the disused basin of the water works, which are connected to the ebb and flood. In addition, two further compensatory measures for intervention in nature.

"After all the arguments we have found a good Balance between economic and environmental interests," says Hamburg's Senator for economic Affairs, Michael West Hagemann (independent). In the future, would it be possible to bring such planning processes significantly faster, to a conclusion. The deepening of the Elbe river has in the port of Hamburg's economy, as well as the environmentalists for nearly two decades. In the meantime, the dredging work is in full swing, as well as an accompanying Work to the country. In the next year, everything should be ready.

politics and economy of the Hanseatic city will consider the Expansion of the fairway as the most important strategic expansion project for the port of Hamburg. Thus, the capacity of the Elbe is increased as a waterway for container giants and keeps the port in the international ship travel in the game. Without the deepening of the Elbe river, so the fear, in danger of relegation to the second division.

The environmental groups see very differently. "The port has to line up anyway," says Manfred Braasch by the FEDERAL government. A short study of the HWWI have just shown that also in the future not more than eleven million standard containers (TEU) in Hamburg to be transhipped. Finally, there were nine million TEU; this year, a marked decline is to be expected. The environmentalists are not convinced of the plan Supplement and keep the entire project illegal. Do you anticipate in Leipzig, serious chances. "The dredging work is not completed and only 25 percent of the dredging quantities moved," says Braasch. A decision by the court is expected in June.