wreck in Elsfleth - Accident at Huntebridge - Weeks without train traffic
After the shipping accident at the rail bridge in Elsfleth (Wesermarsch district), the harbors on the Weser river have been cut off from shipping and rail traffic for longer periods of time. The repairs are expected to last several weeks, according to Deutsche Bahn. A bridge section needs to be replaced.
Shipping traffic on the Hunte river is temporarily closed in both directions, according to a spokesperson for the Water Police. Trains cannot cross the bridge until the end of the repairs. The closure affects travelers and the harbors on the Weser, which depend on the connection.
"Due to the missing railway connection, jobs in our Brake harbor are at risk, and revenue losses in the millions are threatened," the spokeswoman for the state-owned harbor infrastructure company Niedersachsen Ports (NPorts) stated. Although the exact extent of the damage is still unclear, the accident puts the harbors of Brake, Oldenburg, and Nordenham in an "unfortunate situation."
Investigations against the ship captain
The cause of the accident is believed to be an error by the ship captain, according to initial investigations by the Water Police. The man's interrogation revealed that he had misjudged the clearance height. The Water Police are now investigating for the charge of endangering railway and shipping traffic. A technical defect on the tank motor ship can be ruled out, it was stated.
The inland vessel collided with the rail bridge in the afternoon on a Tuesday. The bridge house of the tank ship was almost completely torn off, damaging the bridge and the overhead power line. The ship captain and one other crew member were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The railway traffic over the bridge was stopped indefinitely, and a bus shuttle was set up.
Repair of the bridge takes weeks
Based on an initial assessment, the extent of the damage is gradually becoming clear. One of the two auxiliary bridge sections needs to be replaced, the railway reported. The section will now be adapted for installation and transported to Elsfleth. First, the bridge's superstructure, tracks, and overhead power line must be rebuilt. After that, the new bridge section can be lifted into place using a floating crane. Then, the tracks and overhead power line installations, including signaling and safety technology, will be rebuilt and reconnected.
Only when the track is technically demobilized can the bridge be released for traffic again. The work will take weeks, according to the railway. A precise timetable will still be developed. The railway is aware of the bridge's significance for the region and is working under pressure to make the track passable as soon as possible.
Second accident within a few months
At the site, it concerns a temporary bridge, as a barge had collided with the regular rail bridge in February. The 110-meter-long ship rammed into the structure and caused significant damage. The tracks were bent, the overhead power lines were damaged, and the understructure was shifted. Human error was also the cause of the accident in that case. According to the Water Police, a swift indictment is expected against the former ship captain. The now damaged temporary bridge had been in operation since the end of April. After weeks of standstill, trains between Berne and Elsfleth could travel again, and the harbors in Nordenham and Brake were reachable by rail once more.
For Oldenburg, the temporary bridge was not a solution, as the harbor has been cut off since the first accident in February. The construction of a new rotating bridge may possibly take years - and the damage is rapidly approaching a figure in the millions, according to concerns in Oldenburg.
Inattention to water levels is crucial for inland ships
The provisional bridge, according to the Lower Saxony Transport Ministry, is 30 centimeters lower than the previous bridge and cannot be opened for ships. For seagoing ships, the height is insufficient, and they cannot pass through the river at that location. Inland ships could only pass under the bridge if the water level was low enough.
According to the Water Police, the water level markers on the Hunte are visible. In addition, the water level markers are transmitted via radio. "Ship captains are obligated to listen to these messages," the spokesperson said.
Significant consequences for harbor supply
With the latest accident, the Hunte in Elsfleth has once again been closed for shipping traffic, and important Lower Saxon harbors are no longer accessible. "It's a critical situation," a spokesperson for the Water Police said. "It's a significant restriction in the supply of the harbors and economic sites." The failure of this bridge reportedly results in significant economic damage.
For harbors on the Weser's left bank, the suspension of rail transport is particularly problematic: In the harbor of Brake, for example, around 30% of the turnover is handled by rail. Already due to the first accident, there was a damage of around one million Euros, as estimations by the state-owned harbor infrastructure company Niedersachsen Ports showed. The temporary bridge - which is now also damaged.
Representatives of the harbors demand a long-term solution
The harbor industry and NPorts are reportedly making efforts to contain and limit the damage from the latest incident. "The economy in the region and beyond needs a stable and secure connection," the spokesperson emphasized. The railway must construct a stable rotating bridge as soon as possible. In addition, NPorts is calling for strategies to ensure long-term shipping safety.
In a first round of talks on Thursday morning, representatives of the harbors, the railway, and politicians plan to discuss the consequences of the accident and the next steps. Niedersachsen's Economic Minister Olaf Lies (SPD) emphasized the need to quickly restore the infrastructure. "For the region, this topic has enormous economic relevance, so we must now do everything we can to keep the economic losses as low as possible."
- Due to the ship collision with the rail bridge, German Railways has to replace a bridge section, affecting traffic for several weeks.
- The shipwreck on the Hunte river has caused ship traffic to be temporarily closed in both directions.
- The accident at the Elsfleth railway bridge has put the harbors in Wesermarsch district in an unfortunate situation.
- Initial investigations suggest the ship captain's mistake led to the accident on the tank motor ship.
- The Water Police in Elsfleth is investigating the ship captain for endangering railway and shipping traffic.
- The inland ship incident caused minor injuries to the ship captain and one crew member, requiring hospitalization.
- The release of the bridge for traffic once again will only be possible after weeks of repairs.
- A similar accident occurred in February, involving a ship colliding with the regular rail bridge, causing significant damage.
- The temporary bridge, following the second accident, is now also damaged, causing further disruptions.
- Inattention to water levels is considered crucial for inland ships to pass through the river without collision.
- Ship captains must adhere to water level markers and messages, as failure to do so can lead to shipping accidents and significant economic damage.
