Lock Accident Halts Shipping into France and Luxembourg on the Moselle

Shipping authorities are scrambling to come up with temporary solutions after an accident on Sunday, December 8, damaged a key lock on a tributary of the Rhine, the Moselle, which provides access for larger ships to France and Luxembourg. The authorities report approximately 70 vessels are trapped and expect it will take months to repair the damaged lock.

An inland cargo ship loaded with 1,500 tons of scrap metal bound for Mertert in Luxembourg failed to stop on Sunday striking the lock gates which were closed preparing for the operation. The vessel sustained significant damage to the bow above the waterline while both lock gates were torn loose. Officials reported an initial inspection also showed significant damage to adjacent sections of the lock mechanism, damage to the concrete, and the hydraulic system which released fluid into the water.

The Waterways and Shipping Office Mosel-Saar-Lahn highlights the importance of the lock. It reports that 8.1 million tonnes of goods have transited the lock in 2024 including ores, scrap metal, and fuel as well as agricultural and forest products, iron, and steel. It provides connecting access to the Saar. The river is also used by passenger vessels. There is only one lock at Muden the waterway authority pointed out.

Waterway officials said in addition to many smaller vessels, around 7,000 larger vessels have been locked through Muden in 2024. It is the first time they have experienced this level of damage and recognize it represents a financial hardship to businesses and vessels operating on the river.

They immediately formed a crisis team to explore possible alternatives to reroute vessels. The first estimate is that it could take till March 2025 to repair this lock. 

A team is also preparing the lock for a further survey. The vessel remained at the lock and a containment boom was strung to prevent the spread of pollution. The team is working to drain the lock to assess the full extent of the damage. 

They are exploring replacement gates stores elsewhere to see if they could be used, but the other damaged parts will have to be fabricated. Each of the gate wings weighs up to 40 tons meaning that they must also bring in a large crane to lift the damaged gates. They estimate that even if the existing replacements could be used it would take two months to have them in place.

The port of Mertert handles a combination of truck, rail, and waterway cargoes. They are exploring repacking more cargo to road and rail, but report the scrap metal for ArcelorMittal cannot be simply reloaded on trucks.

The crisis team is continuing to coordinate with other impacted authorities and businesses as they plan for a recovery operation.