Rhein-Chaos: Tanker blocks waterway and brings shipping to a standstill!

Rhein-Chaos: Tanker blocks waterway and brings shipping to a standstill!

On Thursday there was a massive interruption on the Rhine: a tanker blocked the river at Oestrich-Winkel. The freighter had invited 2000 tons of diesel, which made him too heavy and led to it that he was too deep in the water and stuck. As stern.de reported several recovery attempts, so that a second tanker was called for help.

A weighty fact contributed to the complication: The second tanker had to pump 340 tons of diesel to make the stuck ship brisk again. During the closure, numerous ships build up in both directions, and shipping was discontinued for Several hours. Fortunately, there was no damage to both ships, but dozens of freight and passenger ships were affected that were forced to change their course and to go to anchor places temporarily, such as in Koblenz or Bingen.

Successful - Rhine gradually released

The rescue of the tragic tanker was finally completed. According to swr.de was pumped out of the tanker and re-charged into a easier ship. After the tanker was easier, he was able to leave the shallow area in the Rhine and headed for the harbor in Bingen. Here the diesel is pumped back into the tanker.

On Wednesday, the Rhine between Bingen and Kaub was closed because the tanker's rear protruded into the fairway and thus paralyzed shipping. At the beginning, mountain vehicles were allowed to drive the route to avoid collisions in unfavorable places. A tractor was called to keep the tanker while the rescue work was carried out.

shipping on the Rhine - important traffic artery

The Rhine is one of the most used in the inland waterways worldwide. Average of around 600 ships on the German-Dutch border and 300 ships in Mainz move every day, according to the central Commission for Rhine-Shipping (ZKR). Overall, these ships transport hundreds of thousands of tons of goods.

Shipping on the Rhine is not only of central importance for freight traffic, but also for passenger traffic. The recent events show how crucial the infrastructure and the safety of the waterway are. The ZKR has set itself the task of observing and regulating further challenges, especially with regard to any interruptions of shipping traffic, which could be caused by weather conditions, cultural events or accidents.

With average shipping traffic of over 100 hours of interruptions per year, the ZKR faces the constant challenge of making shipping on the Rhine safely and efficiently. The current rescue work shows how important these measures are to ensure the smooth function of one of the most vital waterways in Europe.

Although shipping has now been gradually released, everyone involved remains vigilant to avoid future incidents and to ensure safety on the water. Because with the Rhine it is clear: there is something, you shouldn't take it lightly.