Closing the Gap Over the Kiel Canal
A project of superlatives: Since 2023, Implenia has been working as part of a joint venture to build the replacement for the Rader High Bridge, which is 1,500 m long and 42 m high. The new highway bridge carries the A7 east of Rendsburg, Schleswig-Holstein, over the Kiel Canal and the Borgstedter Enge, and plays a central role in traffic to and from Denmark and Scandinavia.
1,300 metric tons of steel installed
The central segment of the new bridge is 118 m long, 18.5 m wide, 6.5 m high, and weighs approximately 1,300 metric tons. Pre-assembled in the Port of Rendsburg, it was driven onto a pontoon using an SPMT (Self-Propelled Modular Transporter) onto a pontoon, transported across the Kiel Canal by two tugboats to the hoisting site on the Rader Hochbrücke, hoisted between the two cantilever arms, and secured in place.
Hydraulic strand lifting technology for the hoisting
The hoisting was carried out using hydraulic strand technology. For this purpose, special lifting devices, each equipped with two strand hoists, were installed on both sides of the superstructure. Using bundles of strands, they lifted the central segment in increments of approximately 500 mm until it reached its final position.
Two closure periods for the Kiel Canal
Two closure periods of the Kiel Canal were required for transport and hoisting: During the first, the central segment was loaded onto the pontoon at the Port of Rendsburg on July 14, 2026. The second closure period included the pontoon’s voyage to the installation site, maneuvering the component into the hoisting position, securing it with mooring lines, attaching the hoisting cables, and the actual hoisting operation.
A visible milestone
With the hoisting of the steel segment, the gap across the canal has been closed — a technically challenging milestone visible from afar for this complex infrastructure project. Jan Göttsche, Technical Director at Implenia Civil Engineering GmbH, emphasizes: “The replacement of the Rader High Bridge on the A7 is one of Germany’s most significant infrastructure projects at present. The successful hoisting of the central segment demonstrates how closely the various trades and consortium partners work together on such a challenging infrastructure project.”
The Rader Overpass Project
On behalf of DEGES, Implenia — as part of a joint venture — is constructing the new highway bridge, which is 1,500 m long and 42 m high. The project began in 2023 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Implenia is contributing its extensive expertise in civil engineering — from planning and the fabrication of the massive concrete components to the subsequent construction of the superstructure.
