Main-Danube-Canal closed for 2 or 3 weeks after accident

[steamboats]

According to local news last evening a river cruise ship hit the lock at Riedenburg on the Main-Danube-Canal. The damage is so bad that they need to close down the lock for two or three weeks. Therefore there´s not through traffic in the Canal for that time period. Riedenburg is close to the South end of the Canal near the Danube river.

 

It´s not disclosed which ship was involved except for the fact that the ship has a Swiss flag. Although a photo shows a Viking ship (no name can be seen and it can be a stock photo). Unfortunately Marinetraffic doesn´t show a ship there either.

 

steamboats

[notamermaid]

Not good.

 

By the way, an accident that went more or less unnoticed happened on 21 May. The captain of a 135m ship put the wheelhouse down too late. Wheelhouse damaged, steering lost, emergency anchor thrown, everyone safe, ship repaired and taken to Bamberg, where the captain received a hefty fine by the courts. Name of ship not disclosed.

 

WSA Nürnberg confirms the closure of the lock in both directions. Timeframe not yet given.

 

The photo indeed shows a Viking ship, the caption says that ships like that one are waiting at the lock. Not clear which ship caused the damage.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Not sure what it is with the bridges and locks on the Main Danube Canal and Riedenburg in particular. Apart from a few mishaps involving barges, the Viking Tor hit a bridge on 24th October 2018 just before the said lock. In 2013 the stricken Viking Forseti had three accidents, at least one of them in the Canal. Last year there was a bridge-related accident on the Rhine of a Swiss company called Thurgau Travel, but the notoriously low bridges on the Canal seem to be posing problems. Is it because so many of them are navigated under during the night?

 

notamermaid

 

[cruiselvr04]

Waiting to hear more....we leave on Viking from Budapest next week.  I really don’t want a bus trip. Our dream of a floating hotel may need to be altered.

 

All these accidents are making me wonder if we shouldn’t have stuck with an ocean trip. Sigh.  

Edited June 6, 2019 by cruiselvr04

[notamermaid]

Fully understand your concern about your upcoming cruise. I am sure Viking will get in touch with you as soon as they have things figured out. I am sure they will also put some info on their website.

 

Cannot even start to estimate the damage to the economy this could have. I am sure some logistics companies are already doing whirlwind reorganizing.

 

notamermaid

 

[cruiselvr04]

Yes sorry.  It’s not all about me obviously.  

 

If this is the only way for supplies to get thru I’m the sure the logistics can be a nightmare for shipping.

 

We are due to arrive at the locks in 2 weeks so maybe it will be fixed more quickly then thought.  Good for everyone.

[jnk715]

Do you have a link to the story? I leave for Budapest in July. Thanks. 

[gnome12]

1 hour ago, cruiselvr04 said:

Waiting to hear more....we leave on Viking from Budapest next week.  I really don’t want a bus trip. Our dream of a floating hotel may need to be altered.

 

All these accidents are making me wonder if we shouldn’t have stuck with an ocean trip. Sigh.  

At worst you will have a ship swap with Viking. It isn't as if they don't have enough ships. It certainly won't be a bus trip.

[steamboats]

It´s been confirmed that the ship was the Viking Var.

 

Here´s a link to one of the stories including a video showing the ship. Sorry, but all reports are in German only.

 

It´s pretty likely that those affected my swap ships. Nuremberg will be the last port North and Regenburg the first port South. So for the next two or three weeks expect an bus ride and a ship swap.

 

The lock door doesn´t close anymore and to assess the damage they have to empty the lock and get the water out.

 

steamboats

[notamermaid]

So as it said in the video the Viking Tor hit a railway bridge in 2016 (archival footage) and in October 2018 she hit a lock, that makes two accidents.

 

For Viking River Cruises that is now ten and possible an eleventh (in which Viking was not confirmed but alleged) in six years?

Have I missed one (real question, not ironic)?

 

notamermaid

 

 

[G.M.T.]

8 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Have I missed one (real question, not ironic)?

 

notamermaid

 

 

I bet Viking wished they missed one.

[notamermaid]

Update: https://www.tvaktuell.com/riedenburg-schiff-beschaedigt-schleuse-stillstand-auf-dem-main-donau-kanal-306075/

 

At the time of going to press it was believed that the gate will in all likelihood have to be dismantled completely. The chamber remains unusable for that time. The smaller chamber for yachts is operating normally. At that point in time five ships in the direction of the Danube where waiting at the lock, in the direction of the Main twelve.

 

According to the inland waterways information system, closure is assumed to last at least until 14 June.

 

notamermaid

 

[cruiselvr04]

Thanks for keeping us updated.  We go thru around the 21st so I’m hopeful now.

[Marjan1]

 

That section Regensburg-Nuremburg was badly affected by low water last year.  I would expect that experience will benefit river cruise companies to deal with the broken lock.  Ship swaps will probably be utilised.  Won’t help commercial traffic.  

 

[Riversanddale]

We love Viking and have another upcoming cruise booked with them but it raises flags for me that they continue to have problems. Too many ships so are they now resorting to hiring less experienced crews? I never used to consider this. Our thoughts and good wishes go to the passengers and everyone affected by this accident including all the other shipping in this area.

[notamermaid]

Travelweekly has picked up the story:

https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Canal-lock-damage-on-Danube-disrupting-river-cruises

 

No update from the official bodies. See my post above.

 

notamermaid

 

[dogs4fun]

Wow - it appears to me that accidents are becoming more prevalent on the river cruises. Such a shame as this will disrupt cruises already booked for the time period in question. JMHO but me thinks that the rivers are becoming overcrowded.

Edited June 9, 2019 by dogs4fun

[sammiedawg]

To much expansion of ships to find experienced crews?  Especially Viking.   We did the fourteen day Budapest to Amsterdam four or five years ago on Viking.  Since then they doubled the size of their river fleet.  

 

[notamermaid]

All chambers of the Main Danube Canal are 190m long and 12m wide. The maximum width of ships allowed is 11.45m. The widest river cruise ships are built to allow to manoeuvre the locks on the rivers and main canals of Europe. Some locks are larger, on the Danube, where the Crystal Mozart and the AmaMagna sail.

 

I read in a recent article that there are now 800 transits by river cruise ships through the canal per year. For sure the number has increased much in the last eight years, so there is more being close to the chamber sides and lock doors with the risk of hitting them.

 

Annoyingly the other gate part at the lock had only been replaced in April, during the annual maintenance period. It suffered minor damage.

 

notamermaid

 

[winegirl]

Just saw this in the NYTimes.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/11/world/europe/budapest-danube-crash

 

 

 

 

[glovedirk]

I was on the sister Viking ship to the one that hit the lock.  We were right behind them as the entered it, and were wondering what was taking the boat so long to go through.  Then they started backing out and as they backed out past us someone noticed the damaged front end.   We ended up staying in that spot for two days.   We were bussed into Nuremberg for our day's excursions (about an hour and a half) and bussed back in the evening.  It was the last day of our trip so it wasn't too bad.  Viking has since given us a travel voucher to use on a future cruise as compensation.  

 

It sounds like the concern was how they were going to back up the boat all the way back to Kelheim, because the boat can't turn around in the narrow canal, and police didn't want the boat to travel so far in reverse.  Not sure what happened there, but it was quite an adventure!  Trip was great, overall.  

Edited June 11, 2019 by glovedirk

[glovedirk]

On 6/6/2019 at 11:23 AM, steamboats said:

It´s been confirmed that the ship was the Viking Var.

 

Here´s a link to one of the stories including a video showing the ship. Sorry, but all reports are in German only.

 

It´s pretty likely that those affected my swap ships. Nuremberg will be the last port North and Regenburg the first port South. So for the next two or three weeks expect an bus ride and a ship swap.

 

The lock door doesn´t close anymore and to assess the damage they have to empty the lock and get the water out.

 

steamboats

 

It was NOT the Viking Var, I was on the Viking Var.  It was the Vking Idi that hit the lock.  We were just right behind that boat on the Var and were stuck there once the Idi damaged it.  The Idi ended up reversing to farther back behind us, so the Var is the one you see in the pic, even though the Var didn't do the damage.  

[Host Jazzbeau]

Here is Cruise Critic's article on the impact of this collision:

Danube River Cruise Itineraries Affected After Lock Sustains Damage

[steamboats]

6 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Here is Cruise Critic's article on the impact of this collision:

Danube River Cruise Itineraries Affected After Lock Sustains Damage

 

No, Riedenburg is not on the Danube river but on the Canal.... (sic!)

 

steamboats

[notamermaid]

The entry 1345/2019 in ELWIS official information system is now saying they expect the reopening for late evening on 19 June.

 

Jazzbeau, thank you for the article. Hopefully cruise critic can update it with good news soon.

 

notamermaid