About us - Kaiser Friedrich Bootstouren

Two Men.
One Vision.

We are passionate enthusiasts of seafaring and genuine craftsmanship.

Tradition meets innovation.

We are Julius Dahmen, operators of the Berliner Welle shipping company, and Volker Marhold, an engineer specializing in electromobility. We are passionate enthusiasts of seafaring and genuine craftsmanship, and we shared a common dream. Berlin’s oldest passenger ship, the Kaiser Friedrich—an exquisite twin-screw steamship built in 1886—had lain in a deep Sleeping Beauty slumber at Schleuseninsel on the Landwehr Canal for over ten years. In 2022, we purchased her from the German Museum of Technology. With our combined expertise as engineer and shipowner, and fueled by our passion, we lovingly restored the vessel over more than two years, outfitted her with a purely electric propulsion system, and set her back on course.

You’ll feel the care we poured into every detail when you visit— from the choice of routes and our warm, personal service to our delicious Berlin-style potato salad. That is our solemn promise.

Yours sincerely,
Julius Dahmen and Volker Marhold.

Passionate custodians

With great passion, craftsmanship, and a deep respect for tradition, we made the seemingly impossible possible: we rescued the Kaiser Friedrich, Berlin’s oldest passenger ship, from obscurity and gave her a future.

Today, the Kaiser Friedrich is more than just a vessel. She is a symbol of Berlin’s history, of artisanal skill, of a vision brought to life. A maritime landmark that welcomes guests on board and carries them on a journey—through Berlin and through time.

This chapter of the Kaiser Friedrich wasn’t written because it was easy. It was written because we made it happen. We aim not only to preserve history but to bring it alive.