Bremerhaven, Germany

Stepping off the bus, you feel the fresh, cool July morning breeze coming from the harbor. Clouds hang low on the horizon. Bremerhaven is located at 8º 5' E/53º 53' N. This city of more than 110,000 residents straddles both banks of the Geeste River at its junction with the Weser River that flows north from Bremen to Bremerhaven. (https://www.bremerhaven.de/de/)

Bremerhaven is on the east side of the Weser Estuary. Ecosystems in the waters around Bremerhaven support both riverine and estuarine ecosystems. Water from the Weser Estuary flows north into the North Sea and water levels fluctuate with tidal movements. Because of its location, Bremerhaven is an important global port city.

Although industry in Bremerhaven is geared primarily to supporting marine trade activity, the Bremerhaven Company for Investment Promotion and Urban Development GmbH includes allocation of manufacturing and assembly space for offshore wind turbines in its long term planning. Concrete made from cement is an important material for infrastructure and building construction in Bremerhaven. Marine transport vessels and support equipment like cranes and trucks use fossil fuels for diesel engines and electricity generating turbines. Renewable energy sources for electricity generation is increasingly replacing fossil fuel combustion.

From March through July, prevailing winds travel over water from the northwest. The pattern shifts from August through February to prevailing winds from the southwest that travel over land. The topography of Bremerhaven is flat and the elevation is 6.5 feet above sea level.

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