This Tuesday, December 17, the Minister of Mobility and Public Works, Yuriko Backes, and the Minister of the Economy, SMEs, Energy and Tourism, Lex Delles, went to the port of Mertert to meet the port operators, discuss the consequences of the incident that occurred on December 8 at the Müden lock on the German Moselle and think together about the best way to support the Port of Mertert and impacted businesses.
This incident, involving the collision of a barge with the downstream gate of the Müden lock, caused major damage, leading to the total interruption of navigation on the Moselle. The German authorities, in charge of operations, estimate that the repair work should be completed by the end of March 2025.
Faced with this exceptional situation, the Luxembourg government is analyzing several measures to mitigate the impact on the companies concerned and maintain operational production chains, in particular by adapting the rules for road transport. The implementation of partial unemployment in cases of force majeure has already been formally established during the Economic Committee which was held yesterday and for which 3 requests were received and considered eligible.
The ministers reaffirmed their desire to do everything possible to minimize the economic consequences of this interruption of navigation and maintain the competitiveness of Luxembourg companies.
It should be noted that, since Monday December 16, the first boats have been able to successfully pass through the Müden lock using emergency cofferdams, i.e. temporary dams, which gives hope that the boats currently blocked could be evacuated from the Moselle by the end of the year.
The Minister of Mobility and Public Works, Yuriko Backes, said: “Following the announcement of the incident on the Moselle, we reacted without delay and maintain close contact with the authorities and stakeholders concerned. My services have offered our support to the German authorities and we remain attentive to the needs of the sector. In a proactive approach, we are preparing solutions to respond to possible future requests. Our priority is to support the affected sectors, in particular by facilitating the postponement. modal towards rail and road, and considering a relaxation of heavy goods vehicle driving times to mitigate the impact on the supply chain.”
On the occasion of the visit, the Minister of the Economy, SMEs, Energy and Tourism, Lex Delles, declared: “Faced with the incident that occurred on the Moselle, it seemed essential to us to go on the ground to fully understand the extent of the damage for the operators of the port of Mertert and listen to their concerns in order to provide them with concrete support. The government of course remains mobilized to support the impacted Luxembourg companies. economic situation, the companies concerned can in particular benefit from partial unemployment in cases of force majeure, which proves to be a well-suited tool for dealing with exceptional situations such as the one they are currently experiencing.”
Communicated by the Ministry of the Economy and the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works
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