The "Repsold" and the Yachts Parade -- The 826th 'Hamburg Port Anniversary' (May 2015) It's the world's greatest annual port festival and a big three-days party on and off the water. Activities include the yachts and other ship parades, a tugboat ballet, lots of open ship opportunities, on-shore entertainment and so on. The port anniversary dates back in legend to Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, who issued a charter to Hamburg merchants on 7 May 1189, granting freedom from customs duties for ships sailing the Elbe river from Hamburg to the North Sea. This date has since then been considered as the founding date of the Port of Hamburg, which is why the Hamburg Port Anniversary is celebrated at the weekend on or after 7 May each year. (OK. I stole this history piece from the city's homepage). The 'Repsold' in the front of the picture is a fifty years old former buoy tender vessel ("Tonnenleger" or "Bojenleger" in German). However...
