Mainly on the Elbe River - Central Europe

) the minimum fairway draft is a sum of the allowed vessel draft and the safety distance above
the waterway bottom. For new and newly adjusted waterways the value is 1,20 + 0,30 m for
category 0.; 2,20 + 0,50 m for category I. and 2,80 + 0,50 m for categories IV., Va., Vb.
The safety distance from the bottom of a waterway to the bottom of a vessel (margin) is
1. in a river
at least 0,30 m, for new and newly adjusted waterways at least 0,50 m;
2. in a channel
at least 0,30 m for category 0.,
at least 1,00 m for categories IV., Va., Vb.,
c) the minimum curve radius of a fairway
400 m for category I., 650 m for categories IV., Va., 800 m Vb.
(2) The fairway is wider in the curve depending on the length of the design formation and
the curve radius.
The lock chamber
(1) For newly reconstructed lock chambers, there are
a) the minimum width
5,3 m for category 0.;
6,0 m for category I.;
12,0 m for categories IV., Va., Vb.
b) the minimum length
38,4 m for category 0.;
45 m for category I.;
85 m for category IV.;
115 m for category Va.;
190 m for category Vb.
c) the minimum draft above the nipper
1,5 m for category 0.;
A feasibility study for “Improvement of Conditions for the River Transport in Central Europe (mainly on the Elbe
River)“ realized within the ChemLog project 16