Shipping on the River Weser

 
Shipping on the river Weser can be dated back to as long ago as 900 BC. In the lower Weser area fragments were found and conclusions could be drawn that the boat frames were made from wood and reindeer antlers and were coated with fur.


The canoe-style dug-outs in the Hameln Museum are a part of a so-called raft-ferry, a pontoon.style float for crossing the river. These types of ferry were used throughout the middle-ages, up until about 1600.

In the 19th century the introduction of steam-driven engines brought with it new modes of transport. The first steamship on the Weser appeared in 1817; in 1842 the Weser-Steamship Association was founded. A journey along the river with one of the ships is still a special experience today.