NOK Einfahrt Holtenau

Click to display lock availability!

Tips:

A single, intermittent white light (without green/red) means: Entry permitted for pleasure craft!

Fenders must hang very low, halfway to the waterline, so that they do not slip out of the low floating pontoons.

The waiting area is on the Elbe east of the old lock and inside on the eastern side. In Kiel, the waiting area is outside in front of the Tiessenkai and inside on the waiting jetty.

Autopilots are not to be used in the canal. (Magnetic deflections from cables and ships and currents from passing ships)

Large ships can only see directly ahead to a limited extent. Therefore, avoid this area and wait patiently for a sufficiently large gap when crossing the fairway.

Take particular care when passing ships due to the pressure and suction effect. Drive as far to the right as possible and keep your distance from ships.

In the lock, watch out for propeller water from vessels ahead. Especially at night in locks together with large ships, ask on the lock channel via VHF if the screw is neutral.

VHF Channels:

Please always state your position ("in" or "outside the channel") when making enquiries

Pleasure craft may only navigate the NOK and its approaches during daylight hours and not in reduced visibility. Therefore, canal navigation must be organised in such a way that a mooring designated for pleasure craft is reached before the end of the daytime navigation period. This does not apply to visiting the authorised berths in the Kiel-Holtenau lock outer harbour and in the inland port of Brunsbüttel, nor to discharging to the Elbe, which must be reported to the lock master.

Sailing is not permitted on the NOK. Recreational craft with engine propulsion may also set sail. They must then carry a black cone - point down - in the forecastle.

If there are a sufficient number of pleasure craft, an exclusive pleasure craft lock is organised in the morning and afternoon during the main season, depending on traffic. Please pay attention to the announcements via VHF and the changing text display in Kiel.

Pleasure craft over 20 metres in length must operate a class A or B AIS transponder during the canal passage. If required, AIS transponders can be hired at the entrance locks for the canal passage.

Recreational craft with a draught of more than 3.1 metres must always be piloted.

The maximum speed of 12 km/h (6.4 kts) must not be exceeded.

In the NOK, you must keep as far to the right as possible. In certain stretches, the minimum distance from the shore is indicated by signs.

Payment options are available at the access points to the NOK:
In Kiel: At two ticket machines

1. in the NOK in front of the Kiel lock on the north side of the canal, at the floating jetty
2. on the fjord side at the pleasure craft berth to the west of Tiessenkai (you can pay the navigation fees and mooring fees for the berth at this machine).

Gieselau lock: At the lock master's office
If applicable in Brunsbüttel: At the NOK sports boat berth (only with the inspector if on site)

Fees

Signals entry to the NOK

	Entry prohibited
	Entry for pleasure craft
	Entry prohibited, clearance is being prepared
	Entry only for vessels manned by pilots.
	Entry for vessels not manned by pilots (free sailors) except pleasure craft

Additionally for entering the outer harbours locks

	Entry only for vessels manned by pilots. Mooring at the centre wall.
	Entry only for vessels manned by pilots. Moor at the side wall.*
	Entry for vessels not manned by pilots (freeboaters) except pleasure craft. Moor at the centre wall.
	Entrance for vessels not manned by pilots (pleasure craft) except pleasure craft Moor at the side wall.
*The white light next to the green signal shows which side to moor on.

Traffic groups
Vessels and vehicles wishing to pass through the NOK are categorised into different traffic groups according to their dimensions: