086543575

T h e port of C op enhagen . The Tort of Copenhagen is an independent institution, managed by a harbour adm inistration, consisting of repre­ sentatives of the Government, the Parliam ent, the Muni­ cipal Corporation and the trade organisations. The chairman of the harbour adm inistration is the harbour director. The water between Sealand and the isle of Amager and the canals separating the different islands from olden time formed an exellent n atural harbour, much used by the fisher­ men and merchants. These people pu t up their huts and shops on the Sealand-side and thus constituted the very beginning of the city of Copenhagen. G radually as the city grew, the harbour was enlarged, which u ntil some centuries ago was limited to the water- areas inside the Slotsholmen (the holm, upon which the royal castle was b u ilt). In the beginning of the 17th century the harbour was enlarged considerably, a t the same time as the new p a rt of the city, Christianshavn, was built on the Amager-side. And gradually as they were needed, the enlar­ gements and improvements were made. In 1894 the Freeport was opened. During and after the world war especially the great en­ largements and improvements of the harbour have taken place. The Freeport has been considerable enlarged and new parts have been added as well to the Northern as to the Southern p a rt of the harbour, besides th at the depth of the water has been increased considerably. A t an expense of about 36 million K roner were during the years from 1915 to 1922 built about 5000 metres new quays and about 78 hectares new area procured. The greatest depth of water in the harbour and its en­ trance is 10 metres. The aggregate water-area inside the lim its of the harbour amounts to 1826 hectares. The aggre­ gate length of the quays is about 35 Kilometres. The h a r­ bour from North to South is about 13 Kilometres long. Around the harbour big shipwharfs and repair-works with floating as well as dry docks are situated, able to take ships of 13,600 tons weight and 158 metres length. In the h a r­ bour, there are great supplies of coal and oil for the ships, on the quays are modern apparatus for inloading, electric cranes, machinery for unloading of coal and grain and rails, directly connected with the freight-station in the city.

— 25 —