Open Ship Hafenbarkasse META

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There were almost 1,000 barges in the Port of Hamburg. They were an indispensable means of transport for workers. Tens of thousands used this fast connection across the Elbe every day to their jobs in the shipyards and sheds. With the construction of the Elbe Tunnel, increasing car traffic, and the expansion of public transport, the barges lost their importance, and only a few have survived. With META (built in 1908), the Hamburg Maritim Foundation owns one of Hamburg's oldest surviving harbor barges. After extensive restoration, it has been in service again since 2017 and is available for tours by the Friends of Maritime Heritage Hamburg e.V. (Friends of Hamburg Maritime Heritage). As a traditional association that supports activities to preserve maritime heritage with donations and membership fees, the association helps preserve the last vestiges of the old harbor and shipping tradition for posterity, contributes to the preservation of historic harbor objects, and promotes monument preservation activities on the water.