Germany Invests €580 Million in Modernising the Main–Danube Inland Waterway Corridor

Germany has launched a major infrastructure project to construct a new lock at Erlangen on the Main–Danube Canal. The official groundbreaking ceremony took place on October 23, 2026, with representatives of federal and state authorities in attendance.

According to Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport, approximately €580 million has been allocated from the federal budget for the project.

The new structure will replace the existing lock, built in the early 1970s, whose technical condition no longer allows for comprehensive reconstruction.

The project involves the construction of modern lock infrastructure with an expected service life of approximately 100 years. Special water-saving basins are expected to reduce water consumption during lock operations by around 60%.

Construction will proceed without interrupting navigation. Completion is scheduled for 2033.

The modernisation of the Erlangen Lock forms part of a broader investment programme to develop the Main–Danube waterway, including the renewal of other locks and improvements to inland navigation infrastructure in Bavaria.

Commentary by the Institute of Danube Research (IDR)

Germany’s investment in modernising the Main–Danube Canal is strategically important for the entire European inland waterway transport system.

This transport corridor connects the North Sea and Black Sea basins, facilitating international freight transportation through the countries of the Danube region.

Particular attention should be paid to the application of water-saving technologies. Against the backdrop of increasingly frequent and prolonged low-water periods, reducing water consumption during lock operations is becoming an important factor in the resilience of inland navigation infrastructure.

According to the Institute of Danube Research, Ukrainian Danube ports should take into account the prospects for modernising the western section of the Rhine–Main–Danube corridor when developing their long-term logistics strategies.

At the same time, the economic benefits of such investments will depend on the comprehensive development of the entire transport system, including navigation conditions on the Lower Danube, port modernisation, railway infrastructure and cross-border logistics procedures.

The development of Ukraine’s Danube ports should be integrated into European programmes for the modernisation of inland waterways.