wreck in Elsfleth - Another accident at Huntebridge - Are jobs at risk?
After the shipping accident at the railway bridge in Elsfleth (Wesermarsch district), the ports on the Weser river have once again been cut off from ship and rail traffic. "Due to the lack of rail connection, jobs in our Brake harbor are at risk and revenue losses in the millions are imminent," 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 brings the ports of Brake, Oldenburg, and Nordenham into an "unfortunate situation".
Shipping traffic on the Hunte river is still blocked in both directions, a spokesperson for the water police stated. Trains cannot travel over the bridge for the time being. The closure affects the ports on the Weser river that depend on the connection.
Investigations against the ship captain
The cause of the accident is, according to initial investigations by the water police, an error by the ship captain. It was revealed in the interrogation of the man that he had misjudged the clearance height. The water police are now investigating for the charge of endangering rail and shipping traffic. A technical defect on the tank motor ship can be ruled out, it was stated.
The inland vessel collided with the railway bridge in the late afternoon on a Tuesday. The bridge house of the tank ship was almost completely torn off and the bridge was damaged. The ship captain and one other crew member were lightly injured and taken to the hospital. The rail traffic over the bridge was stopped indefinitely, a bus shuttle service was set up.
The extent of the damage was initially unclear. Whether and when trains could cross the bridge again had to be checked, a railway spokeswoman stated. The decision on this matter would not be made before at least Wednesday, she said.
Second accident in a few months
The structure in question is a temporary bridge, as a barge had collided with the regular railway bridge back in February. The 110-meter-long vessel collided with the structure and caused significant damage. The rails were bent, the overhead power lines were damaged, and the understructure was shifted. Human error was also the cause of the accident in February. According to the water police, the previous ship captain is accused of endangering rail and shipping traffic. A swift indictment is expected, it was stated.
The now damaged temporary bridge had been in operation since the end of April. After weeks of standstill, shipping traffic between Berne and Elsfleth resumed, and the ports in Nordenham and Brake were once again accessible by rail.
However, 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 bridge could take years - and the damage could quickly reach a two-digit million amount, according to concerns from Oldenburg.
Inland vessels must pay attention to water levels
The provisional bridge, according to the Lower Saxony Transport Ministry, was 30 centimeters lower than the previous bridge and could not be opened for ships. For seagoing vessels, the height was not sufficient, they could not pass the river at that point. Inland vessels could only pass under the bridge if the water level was low enough.
According to the Water Police, the water levels at the Hunte are visible. In addition, the water levels are being transmitted via radio. "Ship captains are obligated to listen to these messages," said the spokesperson.
Significant consequences for harbor supplies
Once again, the Hunte in Elsfleth has been closed for shipping traffic due to the latest accident, and important Lower Saxony harbors are not reachable. "It's a critical situation," said a spokesperson for the Water Police. "This is a significant restriction in the supply of harbors and economic sites." An outage of this bridge results in significant economic damage.
For harbors on the left bank of the Weser, the suspension of rail transport is particularly problematic: In the port of Brake, for example, around 30% of the throughput is handled by rail. Damage of over one million Euros was caused there due to the first accident, according to estimates by the state-owned harbor infrastructure company Niedersachsen Ports. The makeshift bridge - which is now also damaged - was all the more important.
The harbor industry and NPorts are reportedly making efforts to mitigate and limit the new damage. "The economy in the region and beyond needs a stable and secure connection," emphasized the spokesperson. The railroad must construct a stable pivot bridge as soon as possible. In addition, NPorts is calling for strategies to ensure long-term maritime traffic safety.
- The shipping accident at the temporary bridge in Elsfleth has disrupted traffic on the Weser, affecting ports in Brake, Oldenburg, and Nordenham.
- The water police revealed that the ship captain's error caused the accident, leading to damages and potential charges of endangering rail and shipping traffic.
- The inland vessel collided with the railway bridge, causing significant damage to the bridge and the ship, leading to halted rail traffic and a bus shuttle service.
- The temporary bridge had been in operation since April, resuming shipping traffic between Berne and Elsfleth, but it was not a solution for Oldenburg due to the closure of their harbor.
- Inland vessels must pay close attention to water levels, as the provisional bridge was 30 centimeters lower than the previous one and could not be opened for ships.
- Water levels at the Hunte are visible and are being transmitted via radio, requiring ship captains to listen to these messages to pass safely under the bridge.
- The closure of the Hunte for shipping traffic due to the latest accident has significant consequences for Lower Saxony harbors, resulting in a considerable restriction in their supply.
- Damage of over one million Euros was caused to the port of Brake due to the first accident, highlighting the importance of a stable and secure connection.
- NPorts is calling for strategies to ensure long-term maritime traffic safety in response to the recurring accidents, emphasizing the need for a reliable railroad bridge construction.
- The harbor industry and NPorts are working to mitigate and limit the new damage, recognizing the critical situation and economic impact on the region and beyond.
