The European shipping company Evropská vodní doprava-Sped. s. r. o. (EVD) was the first to resume cargo transportation on the Elbe after the partial collapse of the Carola Bridge in Dresden. The convoy, consisting of the cargo ship DICK and the towed barge DICK 1, left the port of Lovosice with a cargo of generators and fertilizers. This breakthrough was made possible by the joint efforts of businesses from Dresden, the Czech Republic, Saxon politicians and the Elbe Alliance.
Despite the partial restoration of shipping, problems with the remaining parts of the Carola Bridge remain. They pose a risk of collapse and require dismantling, which could lead to new long-term restrictions on the Elbe. The head of Sächsische Binnenhäfen Oberelbe GmbH, Heiko Loroff, noted that the situation with water transport remains difficult and called for the rapid and complete restoration of the federal waterway.
The head of the Elbe Alliance, Roman Fürtig, emphasized the importance of the active participation of federal authorities in solving the problem. He called for the use of all available expertise to prevent a recurrence of long-term disruptions to shipping. At the same time, he noted that opening the Elbe to freight transport to the Czech Republic is an important step forward.