In the afternoon of 29 March 2008 the 69,200-gt club ship “AIDAbella” will leave MEYER WERFT for the North Sea. The Ems barrier will be operating to support the passage down the river. The ship left the building dock as early as on 5 March 2008.
In the evening hours of 29 March around 7 pm, AIDAbella will pass the lock in Papenburg. Around 9:30 pm she will reach the needle eye of the Friesen Bridge near Weener, where the ship will be greeted with fireworks. Around 11 pm the ship will pass the Jann-Berghaus Bridge at Leer. Both bridges have a maximum of 45 metres admission. With 32,2 metres, AIDAbella will leave around 6 metres at each side. Next morning, AIDAbella will pass the Ems barrier at around 5:30 am and will reach Emden at approximately 9:30 am.
The estimated time schedule may change on short notice depending on the wind and weather conditions:
As usual, the Emden Pilot Association will be in charge of the passage. The “AIDAbella” will pass the river Ems towards the North Sea backwards, assisted by two tugs, since this type of conveyance has proven its worth.
The ship’s departure and passage of the Papenburg lock will be broadcast live on the Internet. Go to the web cam on www.aida.de.
The ship’s cruise on the 70 km long Ems passage is a spectacular event that will be witnessed by thousands of bystanders.
