Rhine-Alpine News

31.08.2021

Rhine stabilized after end of coal mining

Rhine at Duisburg ©duisport / Hans Blossey

Rhine at Duisburg ©duisport / Hans Blossey

In the past eighty years, coal mining between Duisburg and Wesel has resulted in a lowering of the land surface. This includes the bed of the Rhine, which fell by up to nine meters. In the past, the bed therefore had to be filled up with gravel regularly to ensure a smooth downstream flow.

After coal mining ended under the Rhine in 2008, the RAG mining corporation and the German federal waterway and shipping agency watched the development until the sole of the Rhine stabilized. Now they stroke a deal about final measures, which will cost about € 15 million. Read the details here (external link).

Swiss ports to become hydrogen hubs

The ports of Birsfelden and Mattenz near Basel cooperate with external partners to become the hydrogen hub of Switzerland. The plan is not only to distribute hydrogen, but also to produce it in the port. The cooperation will combine production, storage and distribution. Find the details here (external link).

Ministries strengthen rail cooperation between Germany and Switzerland

Improved through traffic Germany – Switzerland ©SBB/Gian Vaitl

Improved through traffic Germany – Switzerland ©SBB/Gian Vaitl

In a virtual meeting, Simonetta Sommaruga, head of the Swiss Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications, and Andreas Scheuer, German Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure, signed an agreement to improve rail transport between Germany and Switzerland. Topics include cooperation in research, development, innovation and digitization, intense cooperation for operating trains in regular intervals, harmonization of technical parameters, and increasing both daytime and nighttime connections.

Along the Rhine-Alpine corridor, this is of relevance for the upper Rhine railway as well as for the connection between Stuttgart and Zürich. Find the news here (external link)

Next Rhine-Alpine Talks on 17 September

The 10th Rhine-Alpine Talks take up the issue of governance models for functional areas such as European transport corridors. EGTC’s and other cooperation forms will be presented. They will be held on 17 September, 11:00 – 12:30. Find details and registration link here.

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