The region near the Dutch border had been waiting for this moment for years. Since the old Friesen Bridge was irreparably damaged by a freighter in December 2015, commuters had to rely on buses and rail replacement services. But that’s now history. Felbermayr’s Engineered Solutions team, working on behalf of Deutsche Bahn, successfully positioned the new Friesen Bridge in Weener over the Ems River. The steel backbone structure, spanning 335 meters and weighing approximately 3,750 tons, was meticulously placed in three sections between June and mid-December.
A Complex Bridge Transport
To accommodate both land and water traffic, the design called for a lift-swing construction. This ambitious structure consists of two approach spans and a movable central section. At the heart of the bridge is a rotating pillar, housing mechanical systems within the riverbed, supporting the 145-meter-long swing section.
The project began in June with the transportation of the first bridge section—a 120-meter-long, 1,250-ton colossus. “We loaded individual components, each 14 meters wide and 30 meters long, onto two eight-axle SPMTs (Self-Propelled Modular Transporters) at the assembly site before moving them to the quay,” explained Roel Aarts, Project Manager at Felbermayr’s Engineered Solutions. Each segment was transferred onto a floating crane for the seven-kilometer journey from Papenburg to the final location on the Ems. Once there, the sections were placed on dual ten-axle SPMTs, securely fastened, and transported to the bridge foundations. With surgical precision, each part was lowered onto the abutments and welded together.
Precision Planning at Every Step
The second bridge section, measuring 75 meters and weighing 700 tons, required even greater coordination. After pre-assembly, it was loaded onto a 36-axle SPMT. Maneuvering this massive structure through the narrow harbor required additional adjustments—an entire hall had to be dismantled to make room for the transport.
The transport across the Ems was no simple task. Tidal conditions had to be carefully factored in. “We positioned the pontoon carrying the bridge behind the guide piles,” Aarts noted. On the day of the float-in, the team rotated the bridge 90 degrees on the pontoon, waiting for the high tide to provide the necessary clearance. With only a one-hour window to align the bridge with the vertical support beams, the team used the natural receding water level to lower the section onto pre-installed press jacks.
Overcoming Weather Challenges
The project’s most dramatic moment came with the positioning of the 1,800-ton swing section. This key component was elevated four meters and supported by two SPMTs, each with 36 axles. Initially, the plan was to roll the section onto two pontoons and float it into place. However, unpredictable weather posed a serious challenge. “We encountered wind speeds of up to 22 meters per second,” Aarts recalled. Under such conditions, the pontoon carrying the load could tilt by up to five degrees—an unacceptable risk.
To manage the precise float-in, the team requested a special damming of the Ems, maintaining a stable water level for 24 hours. This careful preparation allowed the final swing section to be positioned with millimeter accuracy. The final rotation of the bridge, executed using the SPMTs’ drives, required not only the damming of the river but also a temporary suspension of shipping traffic.
Months of meticulous planning paid off. Despite the challenges, Felbermayr’s team successfully completed the project two weeks before Christmas, well ahead of the original schedule. “It’s incredibly rewarding when clients, politicians, and the local community are all enthusiastic about the results,” Aarts said, reflecting on his team’s achievement.
A Milestone for Regional Infrastructure
The completion of the Friesen Bridge represents a major milestone for the “Wunderline”—a 173-kilometer rail connection linking Groningen in the Netherlands with Bremen in northern Germany. This new infrastructure will enhance trade and travel between the two economic hubs, fostering stronger cross-border cooperation and connectivity.
