Due to a damaged lock gate, the Moselle will probably remain closed to navigation until the end of March. This was announced on Monday by the Office of Waterways and Navigation (WSA) Moselle-Sarre-Lahn. A cargo ship had previously hit the lock gate of Müden (German border state of Rhineland-Palatinate), which was not yet completely open, when entering the lock.
During the accident which occurred on Sunday noon, the two leaves of the door were completely torn from their anchorage. They need to be completely replaced, along with other damaged parts. According to the WSA, 70 boats are currently stuck on the Moselle due to the closure and cannot leave the river, which flows through Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate, towards the Rhine. In Luxembourg, nothing is blocked at the moment. But due to the blockage in Germany, traffic is one way.
The ship was also damaged in the accident, but no one was injured. According to the police, hydraulic fluid spilled into the Moselle, but firefighters were able to prevent further spread. The circumstances of the accident are still under investigation.
