In a positive development for shipping traffic, repair work on the Moselle lock near Müden is advancing faster than expected, with a potential reopening now expected in February rather than March.

Repair work on the damaged lock on the Moselle near Müden, Germany, is progressing ahead of schedule.

On Thursday, Luxembourg's Minister of Mobility, Yuriko Backes, held discussions with German Minister of Transport, Volker Wissing. Shipping traffic is now expected to resume by early February, a significant improvement from the initial estimate of late March.

The blockage of the lock has caused an estimated economic loss of several hundred million euros, affecting industries such as steel, food production, and oil, according to politicians and logistics companies.

Meanwhile, emergency lock operations, which began on Monday, are ongoing. The operation has become increasingly efficient, with each lock cycle now taking approximately three hours. Work is being conducted around the clock, and in just three days, 27 ships have already passed through the lock.

Minister Backes also stated that all 74 ships stranded at the site since the incident are expected to be able to continue their journey toward the Rhine by the end of the year.