A cargo ship bound for Mertert port severely damaged the Müden lock near Cochem (DE) on the Moselle river following an accident this Sunday. Shipping traffic has come to a halt as a result.

The German Mosel-Saar-Lahn Navigation Office confirmed that operations on this key waterway will remain suspended until at least March 2025.

The accident occurred as the cargo ship, carrying approximately 1,500 tonnes of scrap metal, struck the lock gates, tearing both doors from their moorings.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the vessel itself sustained no significant material damage. The fire brigade successfully intervened to prevent oil leakage, and confirmed no water had leaked onto the ship, either.

The circumstances leading to the collision are still under investigation. Initial reports suggest that the lock was not fully prepared for the ship's entry, and the vessel was unauthorized to proceed at the time of the incident.

Repairs to the lock are expected to take several months, with the earliest completion projected for late March 2025. Meanwhile, the disruption has stranded around 70 vessels traveling along the Moselle toward the Rhine.

RTL

© WSA Mosel-Saar-Lahn