Freihafen Elbe Bridge Remains Closed: Replacement Route Being Planned

The Freihafen Elbe Bridge remains closed following the ship collision on 28 October 2025. It has since been established that the structure is damaged beyond repair and cannot be restored to a safe condition at its present location. A procurement notice published on 14 August 2026 now shows how Hamburg intends to replace the severed link across the Northern Elbe.

What happened

In the early hours of 28 October 2025, an inland cargo vessel collided with the Freihafen Elbe Bridge. According to the police, containers carried by the vessel struck the structure. No one was injured and no operating fluids were released. The Hamburg Port Authority subsequently closed the bridge to vehicles and pedestrians.

Later inspections found that the bridge cannot be repaired in place and is no longer safe for traffic. The central navigation channel has also since been closed. According to the published procurement documents, the damaged central section is to be removed as soon as possible.

Why the closure affects Kleiner Grasbrook

The Freihafen Elbe Bridge provides a direct link between the Elbbrücken area in HafenCity and Veddel as well as the northern approaches to Kleiner Grasbrook. Since the closure, road traffic, pedestrians and cyclists have had to use the New Elbe Bridges farther east or other routes.

The disruption therefore affects more than today’s port and commercial traffic. A reliable link across the Northern Elbe is also important for access to the future Grasbrook district and for connecting it with HafenCity and Veddel.

Replacement route west of the New Elbe Bridges

On 14 August 2026, the Department for Transport and Mobility Transition invited tenders for project cost control services for the “Brückenschlag für Hamburg” project. According to the procurement notice, a new series of bridges is planned immediately west of the New Elbe Bridges. It is intended to serve as a replacement route for road traffic, pedestrians and cyclists.

The publication is a concrete planning step, but it does not mark the start of construction. The notice does not specify a completion date for the replacement route.

€100 million in the draft budget

The Hamburg Senate has included €100 million in its draft double budget for 2027 and 2028 to enable a viable interim solution. According to the Senate, several options are being examined, including a temporary bridge structure. Because this is a draft budget, parliamentary deliberations and the final appropriation of the funds are still pending.

Until a replacement solution is implemented, the direct crossing via the Freihafen Elbe Bridge will remain unavailable.