Ship christening in Boxberg: MS Störmthal becomes Bärwalder Seelust!

Ship christening in Boxberg: MS Störmthal becomes Bärwalder Seelust!

An exciting event recently took place in Lusatia when the excursion ship MS Störmthal was transported to Boxberg. The heavy goods transport took a total of seven hours and led over the motorway and narrow country roads to its new home port at Lake Bärwalder.

Patrick Schmidt, the new owner of the ship and also a bus operator, was enthusiastic about the development. He originally planned to create a tourist experience with a tourist train that would run around the lake. "However, the community suggested using a passenger ship instead. 'You get more out of it,' they said," explained Schmidt. This idea led him to choose the ship.

melancholy and farewell

The MS Störmthal had been docked unused on the shore in Markkleeberg since March 2021 because access to Lake Störmthal was blocked by a locked lock. This closure resulted from structural damage to the structure. The previous owner, Holger Hartig, expressed his sadness about saying goodbye to the ship: "It hurts. There is so much passion in the whole ship," he reported. He felt abandoned due to the lockdown and regretted the lack of support from authorities and the mining company LMBV.

The loss of the ship was not only a financial but also an emotional farewell for Hartig.

New possibilities at Bärwalder See

In the future, the MS Störmthal will dedicate itself to new adventures on Lake Bärwalder and can have up to 130 guests on board. With the christening of the ship, which is scheduled to take place on October 25th, the ship will from now on bear the name “Bärwalder Seelust”. This marks a new beginning both for the ship and for Patrick Schmidt, who is optimistic about the future: "We are really excited that the ship is now in Boxberg. Now the last few meters, into the water and then we can get started."

The renaming of the ship is symbolic of the fresh start in the new home port and the change in the region's tourist offerings. People are looking forward to seeing the ship in action and discovering new things. There is great hope that the new passenger ship will create an attractive tourist offer.

The changes associated with this project show how important innovative ideas are for regional development. The experience on the water could become attractive not only for locals, but also for tourists who want to explore Lake Bärwalder.

Overall, the events surrounding the MS Störmthal show how entrepreneurial spirit and local collaboration can lead to new opportunities. The creation of a maritime offering is an exciting prospect for the region that could rewrite the history of the MS Störmthal. Patrick Schmidt is determined to tackle this new course with energy and passion.

For further information about the developments at Bärwalder See and the MS Störmthal, see the report on www.mdr.de.