Due to a damaged lock, 70 boats are currently stuck on the Moselle. Now it's a matter of finding a solution so they can leave the waterway.
As a reminder, a boat carrying goods damaged the lock gate of Müden, a German town located near Cochem, north of Trier. Since then, no boat has been able to cross the dam. According to the German Waterways Office, the repair will probably not be completed before the end of March 2025.
For the stranded boats and their captains, the damage represents a great threat, because they can no longer fulfill their transport missions. The office speaks of “enormous economic burdens due to long periods of immobilization” for captains. Passenger shipping must also expect losses. We are working “under high pressure” on a solution allowing boats to temporarily cross the Müden dam to leave the Moselle towards the Rhine, the office further informs.
A stranded excursion boat
Among the blocked boats is also an excursion boat with 170 vacationers. It is currently moored in Cochem, a spokeswoman for Phoenix-Reisen, the travel company that owns the boat, in Bonn said. From there, passengers will be transported on Wednesday, December 11 by bus to the original destination of the trip, namely Cologne. Customers showed understanding for the situation. “We can't do anything about it,” said the spokeswoman in Bonn.
A meeting with industry representatives, political representatives and the Luxembourg Transport Ministry is planned for Wednesday to discuss a solution. An unblocking of this situation is urgently sought, especially for the stranded freight ships and their owners. “We are thinking in all directions,” said department head of the Waterways Office Albert Schöpflin. “I’m hopeful we’ll find something.”
We would think, for example, of a temporary lock passage for each boat through the damaged installation. It would take four to six hours by boat, explained Albert Schöpflin. Some sort of taxi service would also be possible. Concretely, this would mean that ships coming from the Rhine would deliver goods to Müden. The goods would then be loaded onto the boats blocked around the lock and transported south.
-A footbridge should facilitate subsequent work. © PHOTO: Waterways Office
Work on the two damaged leaves already began on Tuesday. A mobile crane has already installed a footbridge over the lock chamber. This must be temporarily closed and emptied of water in order to make visible the damage which is currently still below the waterline. The door leaves, which weigh 40 tonnes, will then be removed.
The office is investigating whether an existing replacement gate can be installed in the lock. But the biggest problem lies in the half-door anchors. There are no replacement parts for these, so they must be rebuilt. The concrete curbs of the lock also need to be repaired.
No consequences for MS Princess Marie-Astrid
While the damage is a disaster for freight ships, the Luxembourg excursion boat MS Princesse Marie-Astrid escaped without too much damage. This was confirmed by the Luxembourg Moselle Tourist Agreement in Luxembourg word. The excursion boat will be able to continue sailing to Trier and Bernkastel-Kues, it is said. Müden is about 16 kilometers downstream from Cochem.
This article was originally published on the website of Luxembourg word.
Adaptation: Laura Bannier
