Main Danube Canal closed after accident 2.0

[Daisi]

3 hours ago, notamermaid said:

 

 

 

Here is the very regional German article: https://www.donaukurier.de/lokales/hilpoltstein/Der-naechste-Stau-auf-dem-Main-Donau-Kanal;art596,4236941

 

At the end it says that the police have taken samples of the ship's paint at the lock left by the impact , i.e. they call it "Lackspuren". They keep using the generic term "Schiff". Another (locked) German article says barge - note that also a lot of German news sites operate via subscription rather than just ads so very often only let you read the headline and the first sentence of articles. Some go as far as "greying out" the text of archived articles from more than a year ago!

No specific mention of "river cruise ship".

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the translated copy of notamermaid's article.  Love the "smuggling".  I hope it gets opened as planned.

 

According to the announcement of the Danube Waterways and Shipping Authority, there are now 69 ships on Tuesday afternoon - 27 from the Danube and 42 from the Main-Danube Canal and many of them under river cruise ships. 

The lock Riedenburg, after it was hit by a ship a second time within a month, drained and inspected by the experts of the Danube Waterways and Shipping Authority. The damage to the edge protection of the upper lock gate is similar to that in the accident four weeks ago, when a ship had massively deformed the edge protection at the bottom lock gate.

An unknown ship has torn the edge protection on the length of about three meters out of the concrete when extending out of the lock in the gate area and bent. In this case, another rail - which is connected to the edge protection and the gate with its roles as a running rail - also shifted in their position. "Fortunately, both four weeks ago and now the goals were apparently undamaged," the statement says.

"Our ambitious goal is to resume the smuggling operation on Friday evening", informs Guido Zander. For this purpose, a tightly timed plan was prepared and only a provisional repair planned, which was not possible at the first damage elimination three and a half weeks ago. The deformed rails have already been removed and must be partially replaced. In order to create a bond with the concrete, they are anchored and possible cavities are potted with special concrete. However, a permanent repair will take a longer period of time, and we will take this time at the next scheduled closure of the lock in the spring of 2020, "explains Claudia Rüdrich, project manager at the Danube Waterways and Shipping Authority for solid construction.

The recent closure also has economic consequences: "It means a tremendous economic burden for shipping, affecting punctual shipments as well as passenger ships operating according to a binding schedule," explains Jürgen Lang from the WSA's shipping office. 

The water police Beilngries has secured traces of paint at the scene of the accident and compares these with the ships that sailed the lock on Friday.

[notamermaid]

Thanks Daisi.

 

"Smuggling operation", grin... It comes from the fact that "schleusen" is smuggling (people). A context more often used than with navigation. Hence google choosing that word. What fun one can have with translation engines.

 

Not much fun for the river cruise companies that were just getting back on schedule again after the first closure. And more than just annoying, plain expensive. I hope the responsible person/ships turns up soon.

 

notamermaid

 

[Daisi]

I'm more giving sympathy for the barges & cargo ships...a lot of them looked independently owned, and having this happen again so soon after the other closure will really hurt.  River cruise companies have a lot of work to do to work around it, however I think they will be better off than the companies who have to re-arrange shipment of goods etc.  

[not-so-ancient mariner]

Danke to notamermaid, for posting the link to the above article and  Daisi, for beating me to the task of translating! 

[notamermaid]

Repairs still on schedule, official time for reopening Friday at 1300 hours local time.

 

16 hours ago, Daisi said:

I'm more giving sympathy for the barges & cargo ships...a lot of them looked independently owned, and having this happen again so soon after the other closure will really hurt.  River cruise companies have a lot of work to do to work around it, however I think they will be better off than the companies who have to re-arrange shipment of goods etc.  

Of course you are right, it hits the barge traffic more than river cruising. Some of the barges are indeed family businesses. They often sail as part of a kind of cooperation (of there are several) which reduces the financial burden but it is still hard for them. And it can lead to shortages of raw material.

 

notamermaid

 

[Sibyl2]

Many thanks for all the updates notamermaid! We are supposed to be sailing from Passau to Budapest on Sunday. No idea that I should be worried about damaged lock gates! I thought the water level might be a problem or one of us falling ill or injuring ourselves leading to having to cancel our trip. Just shows there’s no point worrying at all! What will be will be. Oh well fingers crossed! Lol!

[G.M.T.]

From Passau to Budapest, Danube water levels are currently normal, for the next week great weather is predicted around 27°C (except for thunder storms on Sunday - are you bringing it with you?).

 

Locks will not be a problem.

 

If do get ill then the Bush Flying Doctor will take good care of you.

 

Have a great cruise.

[Sibyl2]

44 minutes ago, G.M.T. said:

From Passau to Budapest, Danube water levels are currently normal, for the next week great weather is predicted around 27°C (except for thunder storms on Sunday - are you bringing it with you?).

 

Locks will not be a problem.

 

If do get ill then the Bush Flying Doctor will take good care of you.

 

Have a great cruise.

Lmao! Thanks for the kind wishes! I’m sure I’ll have a great time! I’ll let you know. We’ve sailed the Rhine and Rhône with Riviera and the Dutch waterways with Emerald. This will be our first trip with Uniworld. Friends have recommended them so we’ll give them a whirl!

[notamermaid]

At 11.23am the canal was reopened to traffic. Ships are being sent through the lock in a specified order. No quarrelling over who goes first! 😁

 

More info to follow.

 

notamermaid

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

22 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

At 11.23am the canal was reopened to traffic. Ships are being sent through the lock in a specified order. No quarrelling over who goes first! 😁

 

More info to follow.

 

notamermaid

 

And watched very carefully, I should think! 

[Daisi]

I wonder if they are taking paint samples before letting you out of the locks...you wouldn't have much choice then...:)

 

[notamermaid]

79 ships where waiting. The culprit still has not been found.

 

The authorities had spontaneously organized an "open day" at the lock for captains and crews: https://www.pnp.de/mobile/?cid=3376000

 

notamermaid