Travel Report, Jan. 25 \u2013 Feb. 3, 2026
\nBHV \u2013 HH \u2013 NOK \u2013 Klaipeda \u2013 Riga \u2013 NOK \u2013 BHV
\nGeneral: First of all, many thanks to Pfeiffer Agency for the detailed preparations and briefing documents, and to Ms. Pfeiffer and Ms. Weber for fine-tuning the trip. It\u2019s very helpful to know exactly what to expect, what to pack, and, of course, what to look forward to.<\/p>\n
Day 1: Boarding in Bremerhaven
\nThanks to the excellent directions from Pfeiffer Agency and Google Maps, it\u2019s no problem finding the entrance to the cargo terminal in Bremerhaven and the parking lot for my personal car; the free parking for the duration of the trip is no issue at all. Friendly terminal staff direct you to the waiting area for the shuttle. At the ship\u2014which is already impressively large, even though there are much larger ships moored ahead of it\u2014I\u2019m warmly welcomed by the \u201cheavy gang,\u201d the Filipinos, who immediately take my suitcase and carry it up the very steep gangway to the officer on duty, the second officer. As mentioned in the travel documents, he\u2019s very busy with port operations and asks me to come back later. The friendly crew member from earlier carries my suitcase up the steep stairs to the 4th deck to my cabin, which I then immediately claim as my own\u2014thank you so, so much!
\nThe cabin of the 3rd officer\u2014which is no longer occupied\u2014is very spacious, very functional, and mostly clean, though in some places a bit \u201cworn out.\u201d I\u2019m especially happy about the large windows facing forward and to port\u2014after all, I want to be able to see something, including the horizon, in case things get rough. What I\u2019m missing at this point\u2014since it\u2019s mentioned in the description on the website\u2014is a TV and DVD player, especially since I took extra care when selecting my DVDs while packing.
\nAfter the initial loading operations\u2014which I can observe very well through my windows\u2014and after studying the laminated English and German instruction manuals in my cabin, which are largely identical, I head down at 5:00 p.m. for dinner, which, like breakfast and lunch, is hot and very hearty. The cook is an exceptionally friendly and cheerful Filipino who likes to sing soul, blues, or swing to himself in the kitchen.
\nThe officers, who are almost exclusively Ukrainian, greet me formally but still seem a bit reserved.
\nI end up having more in-depth conversations with some of them during the trip; my basic Russian helps break the ice now and then, especially since the officers\u2019 English skills vary quite a bit\u2014the cook is far ahead of the rest in that regard. The officers also communicate exclusively in Russian among themselves. The one or two passengers, if any, sit with the crew; at my table are two Ukrainian cadets, and the last seat is still open for my Swiss fellow passenger, who is scheduled to board in Hamburg.
\nAfter dinner, I start by taking a tour of the outdoor areas, as far as they\u2019re accessible to me without further arrangements. The wheelhouse is essentially a 7-story metal high-rise, 25 meters wide and about 7\u20138 meters deep lengthwise. The lowest level is the so-called \u201cpoop deck,\u201d the aft deck, where you\u2019re generally not supposed to be during mooring maneuvers or while the ship is in port\u2014mainly because of the taut ropes and to avoid hindering ongoing work. On the poop deck and the first deck above it, you can access the port and starboard railings in the outdoor area behind the wheelhouse. Further up, this is only possible on the bridge deck (Deck 6), past the funnel. You can go up either via the exterior staircase on the port side or via the interior staircase in the wheelhouse. Each deck has a door leading to the exterior staircase, but in port these are usually locked from the inside for safety reasons. In front of the wheelhouse, you shouldn\u2019t move around at all while in port due to ongoing loading operations; while underway, the deck is freely accessible all the way to the bow, though you must sign out on the bridge before going there and sign back in upon your return. After all, there\u2019s over 170 meters between the bow and the stern\u2014it takes a while to walk that distance.
\nAfter unpacking and putting my things away, I watch the loading operations through my front window and take a look at the signs with the signals and guidelines for emergencies hanging on the walls; everything from fire on board to pirate attacks is covered. In the cabin, besides the helmet and signal vest, there\u2019s also a life jacket and a survival suit, which I end up unpacking to review the basic steps for putting them on and to make sure I didn\u2019t end up with a child\u2019s size.<\/p>\n
Day 2: Trip to Hamburg
\nWe set sail at 5:12 a.m.; the Weser and the North Sea are relatively calm, though visibility is quite poor. At 10:00 a.m., we pass Cuxhaven and enter the Elbe estuary, initially bypassing the entrance to the Kiel Canal in Brunsb\u00fcttel, and then proceeding via Blankenese and Finkenwerder to the Eurogate Container Terminal in Hamburg-Waltershof (EGH), where the very large container ships are docked.
\nDuring the voyage, I keep the second officer and later the first officer company on the bridge or walk around outside on the bridge deck; only during the docking maneuver in Hamburg does the captain want to be left alone on the bridge, though being outside on the bridge deck is not a problem.
\nThe view, both from the bridge and from my cabin, is almost perfect, since a large number of containers were unloaded in Bremerhaven. Hopefully, my bow window will remain unobstructed even after the loading operations at the four (!) Hamburg container ports. At 3:30 p.m., we\u2019re moored at Waltershof, and the unloading and loading operations begin. On average, the cycle for one container takes about 1\u00bd minutes. It\u2019s really impressive how precisely the crane operators grab and move the containers with the large grab.<\/p>\n
Day 3: Loading Operations in Hamburg
\nAround midnight, we move to the Burchardkai Container Terminal. I don\u2019t really wake up yet. However, around 1:30 a.m., the first containers from the front row directly in front of the wheelhouse are unloaded. This means that each time, the crane operator has to thread the container grab\u2014which is unloaded but weighs about 5 metric tons\u2014into the respective four guide rails above the containers and lower it onto the container. Since two of these four rails are connected to the bow of the wheelhouse, you not only hear it very clearly, but you can also feel the jolts quite distinctly in your bunk. It feels just like being in the cab of a truck during loading and unloading. So, I\u2019ll just have to watch until this row is finished and things quiet down enough to get some sleep. I forgot to mention that the terminal and the ship itself are, of course, lit up as bright as day, and the windows have no shutters, only moderately light-blocking curtains.
\nAt six in the morning, we head to the third container port, the Tollerort Terminal. Due to bad weather and unfavorable traffic conditions, I decide to stay on board today to watch the loading operations, and shortly after noon, we\u2019re moved again\u2014this time to the Altenwerder Container Terminal. In Altenwerder, the container handlers are fully automated; even stacking the containers on the container towers is done without a crane operator\u2014only the loading bridge at the ship still has a human operator. Here, one of the heavy cargo hatches is lifted for the first time to load and unload containers in the hold below.
\nIn Altenwerder, my travel companion\u2014a Swiss retiree from the southeastern shore of Lake Constance\u2014also comes on board. We\u2019d already been in touch via WhatsApp and phone to coordinate our arrival times. He\u2019s also a recreational boater\u2014though he sails\u2014with experience not only on Lake Constance but also in the Baltic Sea, so we certainly won\u2019t run out of things to talk about along the way.<\/p>\n
Day 4: Here We Go\u2014Down the Elbe and Through the Kiel Canal into the Baltic Sea
\nWe set sail before breakfast, passing the Airbus plant in Finkenwerder with its large runway, and\u2014amid noticeably cooler temperatures\u2014pass through the Brunsb\u00fcttel Lock into the Kiel Canal (NOK).
\nBefore entering the NOK, we spot a processing vessel at the new LNG terminal. My brother, who\u2019s watching us enter the NOK via webcam, sends me the footage taken as we enter the Brunsb\u00fcttel lock, but then I quickly head back inside the ship because the wind, humidity, and temperature are making for unpleasant conditions. The floating docks for recreational boats don\u2019t look inviting at all today.
\nIn the NOK today, we can take a leisurely stroll under the containers to the bow, 170 meters away\u2014of course, only after checking out with the captain and wearing a high-visibility vest.
\nSince we\u2019re not fully loaded, the upper part of the stem is still visible above the water\u2014just be careful not to drop your cell phone into the water through the porthole while taking a photo. After that, we spend a few more hours on the bridge; it\u2019s interesting to hear what the pilot (who disembarks in the middle of the canal and is replaced by another) and the two local canal helmsmen (who steer our ship through the entire canal in shifts) have to say. Our officers are also a bit more relaxed right now, since the pilot and local helmsmen have taken over.
\nAs we continue our journey, I read through all the instructions posted on the wall regarding procedures for fire, collision, man overboard, abandoning ship, etc. Even as a passenger, there are specific rules, instructions, and dress codes to follow. Around 10:00 p.m., we pass through the eastern lock near Kiel and sail through the Kiel Fjord out into the Baltic Sea.<\/p>\n
Day 5: A Day at Sea\u2014and What My Sense of Balance Thinks of It . . .
\nEven before getting out of bed, the difference from a cruise ship or a passenger ferry becomes clear. The ship has no active stabilization systems whatsoever, such as adjustable fins or responsive ballast pumps. Although the sea is moderately choppy, the ship still rolls quite vigorously around its longitudinal axis at times\u2014something you definitely notice on my 4th deck, more than 20 meters above the waterline. Added to this are unexpected jolts when the bow enters the troughs of the waves.
\nBoth of these factors make showering and getting dressed a bit more exciting this morning. I\u2019m also glad that from my cabin I can look forward toward the horizon.
\nThe walk to the dining room and having breakfast without a view outside takes some getting used to today, so I head back upstairs quickly. From the bridge, we see the snow-covered northern tip of Bornholm and heavy ship traffic on the Baltic Sea. Outside, however, it\u2019s extremely unpleasant, and the deck is slippery in places.<\/p>\n
Day 6: Arrival in Klaipeda, city tour, and departure for Riga
\nShortly after 4:00 a.m., we arrived in Klaipeda, Lithuania\u2019s largest port city. At this hour, temperatures are around -20\u00b0C, with a high of -15\u00b0C expected later in the day. My fellow passenger and I check out of the ship after breakfast; the scheduled departure time is 2:30 p.m., but the first officer\u2014or \u201cchief mate,\u201d as he\u2019s called here on board\u2014points out, however, that two loading ramps might be used, in which case loading would be completed as early as 12:00 p.m. and departure would follow shortly thereafter\u2014regardless, of course, of whether we\u2019re back yet. We promise to stay in touch by phone but don\u2019t want to miss out on a quick trip into the city center.
\nIt\u2019s about a 1-kilometer walk to the exit of the container terminal, but the road is so icy that I instinctively drop into a push-up. Photography is strictly prohibited here. At the gate, we\u2019re kindly helped on our way after showing our passports and the current crew list prepared by the chief mate. We manage to arrange a taxi and, 30 minutes later, arrive in the city center in beautiful weather\u2014though there\u2019s hardly anyone on the streets.
\nAfter spending some time exploring the old town, we realize that my warm clothes from my time in Russia actually keep me warmer than Daniel\u2019s clothes from Lake Constance, so we decide to grab a coffee indoors. A call to the Judith confirms that departure at 12:30 p.m. might still be possible, so we head back with the same taxi driver from this morning.
\nWe finally set sail at 2:30 p.m. through the icy bay off Klaipeda with a beautiful view of the Curonian Spit. I watch it all from right at the bow. Since you can\u2019t hear the engine up front, we glide virtually silently into the sunset\u2014you only hear the ice now and then. A wonderful experience. So it doesn\u2019t bother me too much that my right hand almost freezes every time I take a photo with my cell phone.
\nThere\u2019s no trace left of yesterday\u2019s mild seasickness; I\u2019m enjoying the night voyage toward Riga.<\/p>\n
Day 7: Arrival and Sightseeing in Riga
\nWe arrive in Riga around 10:00 a.m. We actually wanted to disembark quickly to see the city, but that plan is thwarted by a visit from a friendly customs couple, who also bring along a curious drug-sniffing dog. Of course, the customs officer and her dog are primarily interested in the passengers\u2019 cabins; by the time our papers are cleared, it\u2019s noon, and we treat ourselves to another meal prepared by Miquel in the dining room.
\nGetting into the city turns out to be a bit of a challenge, since after a roughly 30-minute walk through the icy terminal, we make it past the security checkpoint, but the taxi driver we ordered online simply can\u2019t find his way to our location. With temperatures around -25\u00b0, even short phone calls without gloves are becoming increasingly difficult. I almost fail to show a screenshot of our location with my stiff fingers. After a security guard who happened to show up tells us we still have to pass through another checkpoint just under 1 km away, we finally find our friendly taxi driver. However, this outer checkpoint closes today\u2014Sunday\u2014at 8:00 p.m., so we have to be back by then. Riga, however, turns out to be a wonderful, impressive city, and we all agree to come back someday\u2014perhaps when it\u2019s a little warmer.
\nWith our friendly taxi driver, whom we reach again by phone, we make it to the terminal\u2019s checkpoint just in time before 8:00 p.m. The ship, of course, is being loaded all night long.<\/p>\n
Day 8: Safety Briefing and Back to the Baltic Sea
\nThe briefing on the lifeboats was actually scheduled for yesterday, but the friendly second officer had postponed it to today to accommodate our city tour. My fellow passenger and I learn how to get into the free-fall lifeboat, how to operate it (not much different from our recreational boats), and how best to survive the free fall. There\u2019s no set seating arrangement, and everyone should be able to operate all the controls.
\nEven during the briefing, it\u2019s freezing cold, and we agree that we want to avoid having to abandon ship under these conditions at all costs. But if it comes to that, we\u2019d rather be in the enclosed free-fall lifeboat than in the open lifeboat.
\nAfter casting off, there\u2019s a problem with the main engine; after circling the harbor\u2014with the energetic assistance of tugboats to break through the ice\u2014we dock again for the time being.
\nJust to be on the safe side, I check the Baltic Air flight schedule from Riga (probably a bad habit from my professional life), but a few hours later we set sail again and begin another mystical journey across the frozen Baltic Sea under a full moon.<\/p>\n
Day 9: A Day at Sea with a Visit to the Engine Room
\nThe ship is rolling quite a bit today as well, probably more due to the gusts of the strong east wind than the swell, but we\u2019ve gotten used to it much faster than on the outward journey. The chief engineer had promised to show us the engine room.
\nThis was actually supposed to happen while in port; communication is much more difficult when the main engine is running, even though his English is somewhat better than my poor Russian. The engine room is in tip-top shape and very well maintained\u2014kudos!
\nThe many additional systems are impressive, such as the seawater desalination system for service water, the wastewater treatment plant, the heating systems for cabins and containers, and much more. The chief engineer also serves as something of a caretaker on board. With a cell phone GPS and the nautical chart we brought along, it\u2019s easy to track our course even from the cabin.<\/p>\n
Day 10: A long day from the Baltic Sea to Hude
\nBefore breakfast, we pass Kiel-Holtenau at 6:00 a.m., and by sunrise we\u2019re already well into the NOK. With the strong easterly wind last night, we maintained a speed of 18 knots or more almost the entire time. In the NOK, there\u2019s once again a wide variety of ships on the water. We wonder what the Italian Ro-Ro freighter might be carrying\u2014perhaps wind turbine components?
\nThe rest of the itinerary is getting increasingly exciting, as we\u2019re scheduled to arrive in BHV at 10:00 p.m., and\u2014as reported by Katwarn\u2014freezing rain later that night and the following morning is expected to make the return trip from Bremerhaven to Hude somewhat difficult.
\nPassing through the locks at Brunsb\u00fcttel feels very quick today; the difference in elevation\u2014and thus the duration of the lock passage\u2014depends on the current tide in the Elbe, while the water level in the NOK remains relatively constant.
\nAnd just like that, we\u2019re sailing on the Elbe toward Cuxhaven and the North Sea. To reach the Weser, we have to take a wide detour almost all the way to Heligoland, since our 9.50 m draft prevents us from taking a shortcut through the mudflats.
\nAlong the way, we pass the entrance to the Hadelner Canal, which we\u2019ve used four times ourselves with our \u201cKatharina\u201d as a connection to the Weser\u2014access is only possible at high tide.
\nUnfortunately, our arrival in BHV has now been delayed due to headwinds and a head current in the Weser; we won\u2019t dock until around 10:30 p.m. The freezing rain is expected to reach Hude from the south around midnight\u2014it\u2019s going to be exciting.
\nAfter docking, it takes a while for the customs officers to arrive so I can re-enter the EU. However, they\u2019re aware of the slippery road warnings and, when I ask, wave me through immediately\u2014I can go ashore (thanks again!). Here I meet a friendly cargo manager from Oldenburg; he immediately calls a priority shuttle via radio so I can get from the Eurogate Terminal to the parking lot quickly\u2014the logistics here are a bit different than in Klaipeda and Riga.
\nStill, I have a few minutes left to say goodbye to the ship\u2014it\u2019s been a great ten days filled with so many new experiences. I can definitely see myself taking a similar trip again, maybe even when the temperatures are a bit more pleasant.
\nYou can tell the car has been waiting for me outside for ten days in sub-zero temperatures. Shortly before midnight, I set off, step on the gas, and arrive in Hude at 1:00 a.m.; fifteen minutes later, the freezing rain begins.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Travel Report, Jan. 25 \u2013 Feb. 3, 2026 BHV \u2013 HH \u2013 NOK \u2013 Klaipeda \u2013 Riga \u2013 NOK \u2013 BHV General: First of all, many thanks to Pfeiffer Agency for the detailed preparations and briefing documents, and to Ms. Pfeiffer and Ms. Weber for…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","kontinent":[87],"gebiet":[94,123],"class_list":["post-6901","reisebericht","type-reisebericht","status-publish","hentry","kontinent-northern-europe","gebiet-baltic-sea","gebiet-northern-europe"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n