In Neu Darchau is due to see an attempt begin on 11 November 2026 to get the out-of-service Elbe ferry Tanja back into operation. Divers are first to wash sand away from the vessel’s engines and then remove them. The ferry between Neu Darchau and Darchau has been out of service for more than four months. Whether it can run again after the repairs also depends on the level of the Elbe .
According to NDR, the plan is to lift both engines out of the hull on 12 November, using special sealing bells. The defective engine is then to be repaired at a shipyard in Lauenburg while the other is serviced. Under the reported plan, they could be reinstalled in the week beginning 16 November. It was not initially clear whether the attempt would succeed or whether the schedule could be met.
According to NDR, the work will cost around €50,000. Ferry operations manager Andreas Dau told the broadcaster that he knew of no comparable repair attempt. Landeszeitung also reported on the planned deployment of specialist divers to work on the two engines.
The disruption affects a connection between two districts in Lower Saxony: Neu Darchau is in Lüchow-Dannenberg district, while Darchau belongs to Amt Neuhaus in the Lüneburg district. According to the operator, the ferry normally carries pedestrians and cyclists as well as motor vehicles. Its failure is therefore not just a matter of shipping for the region, but also of day-to-day accessibility.
Low water was initially the cause of the shutdown. The town of Bleckede said in August that the Tanja had stopped operating at the end of June for that reason. An engine fault was also a factor. NDR reported in October that school pupils in particular had to make long detours because of the disruption.
A technical repair alone will not guarantee a return to the timetable. According to the ferry operations manager, it may be necessary to dredge accumulated sand from the navigation channel. The water level must also be high enough for safe passage. No date has been given for the resumption of services.
The lengthy shutdown is also putting financial pressure on ferry operations. According to a report by Landeszeitung, lost revenue is reducing the scope for a planned low-water ferry . The municipality had also considered buying a smaller, second-hand ferry for passengers and bicycles. According to reports in October, those specific purchase plans fell through; a new low-water ferry remains under discussion as a longer-term project.
The repair attempt is intended first to restore the existing connection. For affected passengers, the key question is when the engines and conditions on the Elbe will both allow regular services to resume.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).