Shipping on the Moselle paralyzed: Follow and solutions!

Shipping on the Moselle paralyzed: Follow and solutions!

On Sunday, December 8, 2024, a serious accident occurred on the Moselle when a cargo ship in Müden Rammed and it damaged it so much that shipping has since come to a complete standstill. Around 70 ships, including goods and cruise ships, hang and cannot leave the river towards the Rhine. The responsible authorities assume that the lock will only be passable again in spring 2025. The economic damage caused by this incident is estimated on a six-figure amount, since the lock must be completely replaced, such as RP online reported.

supply and transport alternative

In the meantime, the waterway and shipping management is working on solutions to move the blocked ships that transported important raw materials such as steel for the steel mill "Dillinger Hütte". The crews of the ships currently have the opportunity to go ashore safely, while some of the loads, such as condensed milk from Hochwald Foods, have to be reloaded to trucks. The company has already changed its transport routes to maintain the supply. Despite the difficult situation, the Fuel and Energy Economic Association sees no bottlenecks in supplying mineral oil products, since the tank stores are sufficiently filled and alternatives such as the goods transport are passed over the train, such as Tagesschau informed.

The effects of the block also affect the image of the Moselle as a waterway. Volker classes, head of the Trier harbor, expresses concern about potential long -term consequences for the transport of goods in this region. If the block lasts up to three months, this could require the movement of up to two to two and a half million tons of goods, which means that companies have to adjust their logistics strategies. While the exact cause of the accident, possibly a technical defect on the ship, is still being examined, the situation for the affected ships and their crews remains tense.