Floating Wave

Floating Wave is a planned standing wave built on a floating pontoon in the Altona fishing harbour in central Hamburg, rather than on land. The platform is designed to carry a 12-metre-wide wave alongside a restaurant, bar and fitness space, and is fed with filtered Elbe water instead of drinking water, with no chlorine. Building permit documents were submitted on 23 December 2025, approval is expected in April 2026 at the earliest, and the project now states 2027 for opening.

A stationary river-style wave 12 metres wide, ridden in place on a real board, with the operator citing a patented pump and wave system that draws about half the electricity of comparable waves in the German-speaking market. Press reports have put the wave at up to 1.6 metres, on a platform of roughly 38 by 16 metres with a pool of about 19 by 12 metres holding around 600 cubic metres of water. Those dimensions come from press coverage rather than the operator, so treat them as approximate.

Nobody yet, because there is nothing to book. Hamburg is roughly two hours from the North Sea and has no wave of its own, so a year-round standing wave in the middle of the city would serve a large surf population with nowhere local to practise. The operator has also said the design includes accessibility provision, including acoustic guidance for blind and partially sighted surfers.

No pricing announced. For reference, Germany's existing standing waves run about 34 to 50 euros for a standard adult session.

Nothing to book and nothing to see on the water yet. The permit decision is the milestone that matters, because construction cannot start without it.