Ship rams lock gate: reconstruction to take a year
After a motorized cargo ship rammed a lock gate near Iffezheim (district of Rastatt) and destroyed it, reconstruction is expected to take a year. The Upper Rhine Waterways and Shipping Office announced on Monday that the damaged lock gate, which weighed 74 tons, had to be removed and a new one built.
The ship hit the closed gate at midday on Saturday for reasons that are still unclear. The force of the impact caused the ship to break through the lock gate with its bow and get stuck. Another ship was in the lock at the time. No one was injured. The waterway police initially estimated the damage at around one and a half million euros.
The cargo ship was only dented in the accident and was able to resume its journey on Sunday. The waterway police initially investigated how the accident occurred.
Due to the accident, Rhine ships can only pass through the Iffezheim lock via the left lock chamber for the time being. This could lead to delays and waiting times, it was reported.
The accident involving the cargo ship and the lock gate might lead to more traffic congestion in the area due to the necessary reconstruction. Despite the trauma to the lock gate, the ship responsible for the incident managed to continue its journey afterwards.
Source: www.dpa.com
