Overview

• The annual May parade was relocated upstream due to the partial collapse of the Carolabrücke in September 2024, which remains under structural monitoring.
• Special permissions from WSA Elbe allowed ships to pass under the damaged bridge without passengers, ensuring the event could proceed.
• Nearly 3,000 guests boarded the fleet’s eleven ships, with tickets sold out weeks in advance despite access difficulties to boarding points.
• The Weiße Flotte implemented two-wave boarding and extensive pre-communication to overcome logistical hurdles caused by the bridge collapse.
• The Dresdner paddle steamer fleet, the largest and oldest in the world, continues to draw thousands of spectators along the Elbe River.