The Transport Minister of Germany has given his support to a project to deepen the river Elbe to allow freight ships to enter and leave Hamburg at any state of the tide. The river was last deepened in 1999, and the new project has plenty of opposition from both conservationists and the Lower Saxony government which fears increased risk of flooding. The German government backs the project as it will help shippers in the southern part of Germany, who currently ship their export freight through Italy.