{"id":1654486,"date":"2026-10-26T15:23:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T14:23:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/?p=1654486"},"modified":"2026-10-26T15:23:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T14:23:13","slug":"tiessenkai-kiel-holtenau","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/segelmagazin\/tiessenkai-kiel-holtenau\/","title":{"rendered":"Tiessenkai in Kiel-Holtenau: berthing, lock, arrival, sailing destinations"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Tiessenkai is located in Kiel-Holtenau on the northern shore of the mouth of the Kiel Canal, directly in front of the locks on the Kiel Fjord side. Here you can read whether you can currently berth there, where yachts lie before and after the canal passage, what applies at the locks, how to get there and which cruising destinations in Kiel Bay and Denmark are nearby.<\/p>\n<h2>The essentials at a glance<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>At Tiessenkai you cannot currently rely on berthing: the quay wall is closed due to damage, and when it will be reopened is unclear (as of October 2026).<\/li>\n<li>Yachts before or after a canal passage lie at the Kiel-Holtenau yacht berths just next door, for a maximum of 24 hours.<\/li>\n<li>In the lock area, listen to VHF channel 12 (\"Kiel-Kanal IV\"). Sailing is prohibited on the canal; recreational boats travel only during daylight hours.<\/li>\n<li>From 1 January 2027, the canal fee for recreational boats will be abolished.<\/li>\n<li>Strande, Eckernf\u00f6rde and the Schlei are day trip destinations, \u00c6r\u00f8 and Langeland in Denmark are good weekend destinations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Where is Tiessenkai in Kiel-Holtenau?<\/h2>\n<p>Tiessenkai is the quay wall on the northern shore of the canal mouth, on the fjord side of the Holtenau locks, between canal kilometre 98.33 and 98.60. At the western end of the quay stands the Holtenau lighthouse. The district of Holtenau lies in the north of Kiel, about six kilometres as the crow flies from the main railway station.<\/p>\n<p>The quay is named after the ship chandler Hermann Tiessen, whose company still occupies one of the small offices at the quay today. The other flat buildings and the old warehouse house caf\u00e9s and a restaurant. The name is also written \"Thiessenkai\", but it always refers to this quay in Holtenau.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Feature<\/th>\n<th>Details<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Location<\/td>\n<td>Kiel-Holtenau, northern shore of the canal mouth, fjord side of the locks<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Canal kilometre<\/td>\n<td>98.33 to 98.60<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Condition<\/td>\n<td>Quay wall closed, securing and renovation without timeline<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Port authority<\/td>\n<td>Wasserstra\u00dfen- und Schifffahrtsamt Nord-Ostsee-Kanal<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Previous operator<\/td>\n<td>Sporthafen Kiel GmbH, telephone 0431 26 04 84-0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Berth for yachts<\/td>\n<td>Kiel-Holtenau yacht berths, canal kilometre 98.5, maximum 24 hours<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>VHF in lock area<\/td>\n<td>Channel 12, call sign \"Kiel-Kanal IV\"<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Schleusenmeister Kiel<\/td>\n<td>Telephone 0431 3603-152<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>Can you moor at the Tiessenkai at present?<\/h2>\n<p>Not reliably at the moment (as of October 2026). The quay edge has been closed as a precaution since early 2025 because the sheet piling, i.e. the quay wall made of steel sections, is damaged. The situation may change at short notice.<\/p>\n<p>The usage agreement between the Waterways and Shipping Administration and the City of Kiel has been terminated, and there is a construction fence on land. By official general order, the Tiessenkai is also no longer a harbour of refuge. The Waterways and Shipping Office and the city are working on securing and renovating the quay, but there is no timetable for this.<\/p>\n<p>Before you head for Holtenau or want to go aboard there, check with the Wasserstra\u00dfen- und Schifffahrtsamt Nord-Ostsee-Kanal or with Sporthafen Kiel GmbH whether and where mooring at the quay is permitted. You can reach Sporthafen Kiel GmbH Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.<\/p>\n<h3>How was the quay used previously?<\/h3>\n<p>According to the previous regulations of the City of Kiel, the Tiessenkai was primarily a berth for traditional sailing vessels, i.e. historic ships and faithful replicas. Ships would moor there for a few days, often rafted alongside each other. During Kiel Week, several traditional sailing vessels had their berth here. Whether these rules will apply again after renovation is still open.<\/p>\n<h3>What does this mean for crew?<\/h3>\n<p>The exact starting point for a trip from Holtenau is something you find out from the skipper or organiser. Ask about the precise meeting point before you travel, as the former berth at the quay is not reliably available at present.<\/p>\n<h2>Where do yachts moor in Kiel-Holtenau?<\/h2>\n<p>Yachts moor at the Sportbootliegestelle Kiel-Holtenau. This is a separate pontoon belonging to the Waterways and Shipping Administration at canal kilometre 98.5, right next to the Tiessenkai. Since 16 December 2025, you may stay there for a maximum of 24 hours, longer only with the approval of the traffic control centre.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-1654411\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kiel-foerde-werftkraene-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Kiel Fjord with shipyard cranes\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kiel-foerde-werftkraene-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kiel-foerde-werftkraene-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kiel-foerde-werftkraene-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kiel-foerde-werftkraene-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kiel-foerde-werftkraene-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kiel-foerde-werftkraene.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The berth is only intended for overnight stays and waiting time in connection with a passage through the Kiel Canal. You pay the mooring fee at the machine at the berth. You are not permitted to moor at the dolphins in Holtenau. For a berth for a longer stay in Kiel, you will find one in one of the marinas on the F\u00f6rde.<\/p>\n<h3>How do you moor at the sports boat berth?<\/h3>\n<p>Before mooring, prepare fenders on both sides and long bow and stern lines as well as springs. There is heavy traffic in front of the locks, and passing vessels create wash, so it is worth tightening the lines again after mooring. Plan your arrival so that you are moored before the end of daylight.<\/p>\n<h2>What applies at the Kiel-Holtenau locks?<\/h2>\n<p>In front of the locks, you wait north of the approach limit until an interrupted white light permits entry. Throughout the lock area, monitor VHF channel 12, call sign \"Kiel-Kanal IV\".<\/p>\n<p>The white light on the signal masts on the centre wall of the lock permits entry into the fore-harbour and lock. A flashing red light prohibits entry into a junction area. Whilst the small lock is being rebuilt, sports boats pass through the large chambers together with commercial shipping.<\/p>\n<h3>What does the canal passage cost?<\/h3>\n<p>From 1 January 2027, the fee for sports boats will be abolished. Until the end of 2026, you still pay the canal fee, officially called the passage levy, before the transit at the machine or online in the web shop of the Waterways and Shipping Administration; this is not possible in the lock chamber. The payment pontoon in the canal is not a berth; you only moor there briefly to pay.<\/p>\n<h3>Which rules apply on the canal?<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Leisure craft sail only in daylight and good visibility. Plan so that you reach a berth before the end of daylight hours.<\/li>\n<li>The maximum speed is 12 km\/h over ground.<\/li>\n<li>Sailing is prohibited on the canal. It is permitted only in the outer harbour in front of the old locks at Holtenau.<\/li>\n<li>Leisure craft over 20 metres require a Class A or B AIS transponder for the passage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>All rules are set out in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dsv.org\/downloads\/nord-ostsee-kanal-merkblatt-sportboote\/\">Information Sheet for Leisure Craft Users on the Kiel Canal<\/a>, published by the Waterways and Shipping Administration. Current closures and notices are reported by the Waterways and Shipping Office for the Kiel Canal.<\/p>\n<h2>Good to know for your first day in Kiel-Holtenau<\/h2>\n<p>There are caf\u00e9s and a restaurant at the quay; for provisions you travel into the Kiel city area. Doctor, pharmacy and A&amp;E can be found in Kiel.<\/p>\n<h3>Shopping and provisions<\/h3>\n<p>There is no supermarket directly at the quay. Larger supermarkets are located in the Kiel city area south of the canal; by car or taxi you will get there quickest. It is best to plan your shopping before arriving in Holtenau. No vehicles may stand on the paved quay area, so you unload provisions away from it.<\/p>\n<h3>Doctor, pharmacy and A&amp;E<\/h3>\n<p>The Universit\u00e4tsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, at Arnold-Heller-Stra\u00dfe 3, around five kilometres as the crow flies from Tiessenkai, has an A&amp;E department. Outside surgery hours you can reach the on-call medical service on 116 117. The nearest pharmacy on duty is given by the pharmacy emergency service on 0800 00 22833, or from a mobile on 22 8 33.<\/p>\n<h3>Emergency numbers<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>112: Ambulance service, emergency doctor and fire brigade<\/li>\n<li>110: Police<\/li>\n<li>At sea: Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre of the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS) in Bremen on VHF channel 16 or by DSC on channel 70, call sign \"Bremen Rescue\", by telephone around the clock on +49 421 53687-0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How do you get to Kiel-Holtenau?<\/h2>\n<p>The simplest way is to travel by train or bus to Kiel and from there by city bus or taxi to Holtenau. The nearest large airport is Hamburg.<\/p>\n<h3>By air<\/h3>\n<p>Hamburg Airport is around 80 kilometres as the crow flies to the south. From there the Kielius airport bus runs several times a day directly to Kiel. Alternatively, take the S-Bahn to Hamburg Hauptbahnhof and change onto a train to Kiel.<\/p>\n<h3>By train and bus<\/h3>\n<p>Kiel Hauptbahnhof can be reached by regional and long-distance trains via Hamburg. City buses run to Holtenau; the \"Schleuse\" stop is a few minutes' walk from the quay. With luggage for a week's sailing trip, a taxi is more convenient. Lines and timetables change, so check the connection shortly before your journey in the timetable information service.<\/p>\n<h3>By car and on foot across the canal<\/h3>\n<p>You reach Kiel via the A7 motorway and the Kiel feeder road; to get to Holtenau you cross the Holtenau High Bridge onto the north bank of the canal. If you are coming on foot or by bike from the Wik district, the free canal ferry \"Adler 1\" will take you across the canal to Holtenau.<\/p>\n<h2>Which marine weather forecast applies to the Kiel Fjord?<\/h2>\n<p>For sailing trips from Kiel-Holtenau, the marine weather forecast of the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) for the North Sea and Baltic Sea applies, together with the DWD coastal warnings for the German Baltic coast.<\/p>\n<p>For Kiel Bay, the Western Baltic sea area is important; if you are sailing to Denmark, add the Belts and the Sound. Kiel belongs to the warning area Flensburg to Fehmarn. The DWD issues a wind warning from 6 Beaufort mean wind, and a gale warning from 8 Beaufort. You can read the current report on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wettergefahren.de\/wetter\/seewetter\/bericht_nord_ostsee.html\">DWD sea weather page<\/a> or in the WarnWetter app; at sea you receive it via VHF coastal radio, NAVTEX and radio.<\/p>\n<p>Read the report every morning before setting out and pay particular attention to warnings if your destination is out in Kiel Bay or in Denmark.<\/p>\n<h2>What sailing destinations lie near Kiel-Holtenau?<\/h2>\n<p>From Holtenau you sail down the fjord into Kiel Bay. From there you can reach Eckernf\u00f6rde and the Schlei in a day's run, the Danish islands of \u00c6r\u00f8 and Langeland in a long day. The distances are rounded distances over water on the usual course; for precise planning the nautical chart applies.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-1654413\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kiel-foerde-faehre-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Ferry on the Kiel Fjord\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kiel-foerde-faehre-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kiel-foerde-faehre-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kiel-foerde-faehre-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kiel-foerde-faehre-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kiel-foerde-faehre-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/kiel-foerde-faehre.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Strande: around 5 nm, on the west shore of the outer fjord<\/li>\n<li>Damp: around 16 nm<\/li>\n<li>Eckernf\u00f6rde: around 18 nm, right at the back of Eckernf\u00f6rde Bay<\/li>\n<li>Schleim\u00fcnde: around 20 nm, entrance to the Schlei<\/li>\n<li>Bagenkop on Langeland: around 30 nm<\/li>\n<li>Marstal on \u00c6r\u00f8: around 34 nm<\/li>\n<li>Heiligenhafen: around 35 nm<\/li>\n<li>S\u00f8nderborg on Als: around 39 nm<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The fjord is a busy waterway. Cargo vessels, ferries and cruise ships cross in front of the locks; keep outside the fairway and keep an eye on canal traffic. At the fjord's exit, the Kiel lighthouse marks the shallows around Stollergrund with red sectors. Our article on <a href=\"\/en\/sailing-magazine\/betonnung-lateralsystem-seezeichen\/\">Buoyage in the lateral system<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Westwards, the nearly 100-kilometre-long Kiel Canal leads to Brunsb\u00fcttel on the Elbe. At the permitted 12 km\/h, you need a good eight hours' sailing time for the entire route, excluding waiting time at the locks.<\/p>\n<p>We present other harbours on the German Baltic coast in separate profiles: the <a href=\"\/en\/sailing-magazine\/marina-flensburg\/\">Marina Flensburg<\/a> on the Flensburg Fjord and the <a href=\"\/en\/sailing-magazine\/haefen-travemuende-segler\/\">harbours in Travem\u00fcnde<\/a> on L\u00fcbeck Bay. You'll find suggestions for shore visits in Denmark in the article about the <a href=\"\/en\/sailing-magazine\/danish-islands-holiday\/\">Danish islands<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>What is there ashore in Holtenau?<\/h2>\n<p>Holtenau is a small district with plenty of canal history. The lighthouse, warehouse and pilot harbour are just a few minutes' walk from the quay, and the viewing platform at the locks can be reached by ferry across the canal.<\/p>\n<h3>Holtenau Lighthouse<\/h3>\n<p>The lighthouse at the western end of Tiessenkai was built in 1895 for the canal's opening and is still in operation. The roughly 20-metre-high brick tower stands on an octagonal base; you can get married inside it.<\/p>\n<h3>Lock viewing platform in der Wik<\/h3>\n<p>The canal ferry \"Adler 1\" takes you across to the south side free of charge. There, at Maklerstra\u00dfe 1, the viewing platform stands above a lock gate, from where you can watch cargo vessels, cruise ships and small sailing boats in the lock. It's open daily from sunrise to sunset; admission costs 1 euro, 50 cents reduced. Information boards tell the story of the canal, which opened in 1895 as the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Kanal.<\/p>\n<h3>Canal warehouse and obelisk<\/h3>\n<p>A few steps from the quay stands the three-storey canal warehouse built of brick. Dating from 1784, from the time of the Eider Canal, the predecessor of the Kiel Canal, it now houses flats and a restaurant. In front of it, a 7.5-metre-high sandstone obelisk commemorates the completion of the Eider Canal.<\/p>\n<h3>Dankeskirche and pilot harbour<\/h3>\n<p>The Dankeskirche was built after the canal's opening and consecrated in 1897. The orange-red pilot boats that bring pilots to ships around the clock lie at the pilot harbour.<\/p>\n<h2>Trips from Kiel-Holtenau on T\u00f6rnfinder<\/h2>\n<p>On T\u00f6rnfinder you'll find trips from Kiel and on the Kiel Fjord in the <a href=\"\/en\/sailing-trips\/\">trip overview<\/a>. You can get an overview of the sailing area under <a href=\"\/en\/cabin-charter-baltic-sea\/\">Sailing in the Baltic Sea<\/a>, trips in Danish waters under <a href=\"\/en\/cabin-charter-denmark\/\">cabin charter in Denmark<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<h3>Can you moor at the Tiessenkai at present?<\/h3>\n<p>Not reliably at present. The quay edge is closed due to damage to the sheet piling; securing and renovation have no timetable. You should enquire with the Wasserstra\u00dfen- und Schifffahrtsamt Nord-Ostsee-Kanal or Sporthafen Kiel GmbH before arriving to find out whether and where you may moor.<\/p>\n<h3>Where do yachts moor in Kiel-Holtenau before passing through the canal?<\/h3>\n<p>At the Kiel-Holtenau yacht berth at canal kilometre 98.5, a dedicated pontoon right next to Tiessenkai. You may lie there for a maximum of 24 hours, longer only with the traffic centre's consent.<\/p>\n<h3>On which VHF channel do I report at Kiel-Holtenau lock?<\/h3>\n<p>In the lock area, listen to VHF channel 12, call sign \"Kiel-Kanal IV\". Entry is cleared by an intermittent white light.<\/p>\n<h3>Does passage through the Kiel Canal cost anything?<\/h3>\n<p>From 1 January 2027 onwards, the fee for sports boats will be abolished. Until the end of 2026, you pay the canal dues before passage at the vending machine or online; you cannot pay in the lock chamber.<\/p>\n<h3>Where exactly is the Tiessenkai in Kiel?<\/h3>\n<p>On the northern shore of the canal mouth in Kiel-Holtenau, on the F\u00f6rde side of the locks. At the western end stands the Holtenau lighthouse, and on the quayside there are small countinghouses with caf\u00e9s.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wo der Tiessenkai an der M\u00fcndung des Nord-Ostsee-Kanals liegt, warum dort derzeit nicht verl\u00e4sslich festgemacht werden kann, wo Yachten stattdessen liegen, was an den Holtenauer Schleusen gilt und welche T\u00f6rnziele in der Kieler Bucht und in D\u00e4nemark nahe liegen.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":1654410,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[536],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1654486","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reviere-haefen","category-536","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1654486","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/67"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1654486"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1654486\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1654487,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1654486\/revisions\/1654487"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1654410"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1654486"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1654486"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toernfinder.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1654486"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}