SHED 50A
Around the historic Shed 50A, in the midst of the former free port, one can feel the atmosphere that prevailed before the introduction of containers. Until the end of the 1960s, this last remaining and protected quay ensemble of the imperial era, whose structure was laid more than 100 years ago and at that time ensured optimal handling between seagoing ships and land transport, handled the goods traffic to and from South America.
The lightweight wooden construction of the sheds was considered innovative at the time because it was comparatively inexpensive and also meant easy reconstruction in case of fire. The equipment with electric semi-gantry cranes on the waterfront as well as quay and land ramps accessible to carriages and railways enabled rapid handling of goods. In the sheds and on the premises, the “Port history” collection featuring more than 10,000 objects, is on display. This includes exhibits from the past 100 years from the areas of cargo handling, shipping, shipbuilding, and marine technology.
Open Storage
The open storage, located in the southern part of Shed 50A, gathers around 10,000 objects covering topics such as port work, cargo handling, shipbuilding, and local navigation. A separate section of the exhibition is dedicated to the object that transformed daily life of the port: the container. The introduction of the container marked the beginning of the end for general cargo handling. Here, information about the origins and challenges of containerization can be found, typical professions of that era, as well as the art of lashing – securing containers onto ships.
Additionally, the open storage houses the original pilot’s parlour from the town of Brunsbüttel. It is a former lounge for the river Elbe pilots, conveying the profession of piloting with its original wooden paneling and furnishings. The Elbe pilots, highly skilled navigators, accompany and guide ships over 90 meters in length along the 100-kilometer stretch to the Port of Hamburg.
Highlights
SS Imperator
SS “Imperator” was built in the Vulcan shipyard in Hamburg. The launch was on 23rd May 1912. At 52.117 gross tons, the Imperator was the largest ship in the world. The godfather of the ship was Emperor Wilhelm II.
There were another two ships belonging to the trio: SS Vaterland and SS Bismarck. Being the largest passenger ships built in Hamburg, they belonged to the Hapag shipping company. In order to be able to guarantee a weekly departure from Europe to America, Albert Ballin imposed the building of a fleet of steam-powered express liners. The flagship Imperator was built at the Vulcan shipyard, the two sister ships, Vaterland and Bismarck, were built at the Blohm & Voss shipyard. Each ship was larger than the predecessor model. These ships were also in response to the building of the Olympic class by the White Star Line that had begun just before. The RMS Titanic belonged to that class, too.
Handcarts
For a long time, the handcart was the established, cheap and universal mean of transport for the work in the sheds, storehouses and on the ramps. Using a handcart, the dockers could pick up the individually packaged goods from the ships and carry them over long distances to the quays and sheds. It was even invented a special handcart for the transportation of barrels. Since about 1900, battery-powered vehicles, electric carts and mobile cranes in the sheds facilitate the work of the dockers.
The pilots’ parlour
Causally related to the building of the Kiel Canal, the pilots’ parlour was built in 1895 in Brunsbüttel nearby the Old Locks at the harbour entrance. In 2007, the pilots’ old building was replaced with a new one having adequate equipment for today’s requirements. The pilots’ guild “Elbe” donated the old pilots’ parlour with its historical wooden panelling, old furniture, further equipment and paintings to Hafenmuseum Hamburg that rescued it and presents it since 2012 in the show depot. At the time before radar, GPS, AIS, cell phones and cars were invented, the pilots’ parlours were important waiting stations for the pilots. There, they spent their waiting time before taking care of the ships being obliged to be piloted according to the “Börtordnung”. So, the pilots’ building was like a big hotel whereas the pilots’ parlour was waiting and recreation room, information exchange and an important place for professional exchange.
The pressurized cabin for divers
The pressurized cabin served the controlled decomposition of enriched nitrogen in the diver’s blood after long and deep dives. By phased reducing of over-pressure in the pressurized cabin, up to 5 bars at most, a process of slowly sinking over-pressure is simulated for the diver who exhales slowly the nitrogen in his blood without physical damage. The pressurized cabin was used at the beginning place of the dive or on ship.
