Moselle locks: Construction of the second chamber stagnates - economy on the ground!

Moselle locks: Construction of the second chamber stagnates - economy on the ground!

A serious accident at the Moselle lock on December 8, 2024 has drastic consequences for shipping on the Moselle. A collision with a cargo ship has badly damaged the lock and made it unusable for shipping. As pressbox , companies in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland are particularly affected, since their transports have been planned for years required second lock chamber Now should not be restored until the end of March 2025. The continued closure could mean that these companies have to fall back on other means of transport such as trucks or trains, whereby the capacities are very limited or a relocation is often not possible.

slow progress in the expansion of the Moselle locks

The Situation reflects the problems in expanding the Moselle locks that have been planned for over 30 years, as the Koblenz IHK representative Arne Rössel found. According to Tagesschau so far only three out of ten locks have been expanded with a second chamber, while the construction site at the Limmerer Schuse has been idle for more than eight years. Mayor Arnold Waschgler expresses that these immovable developments differ from the efficiency of past construction projects and warns of the protracted delays that lead to a significant economic disadvantage.

The politicians quickly agree that the ability to transport important goods is endangered without significant progress in the planning and implementation of the extensions of the Moselle locks. The pressure on politicians is growing in order to promote the expansion of the Moselle locks and to have the necessary repairs on the tired lock as quickly as possible in order to minimize the economic damage for the companies concerned.