The Kiel Canal is still the busiest artificial waterway in the world in terms of the number of ship passages. In recent months, however, it has often been in the headlines for rather negative reasons.
Ship moored in the gate. Photo: Havariekommando
Time and again, damage to the lock gates or incidents involving ships cause a stir. Technical defects regularly lead to ships ramming the embankment or coming to a standstill in the canal, blocking the waterway. Such incidents are reminiscent of the "Ever Given", which blocked the Suez Canal for six days in March 2021 - with noticeable consequences worldwide.
The "Ever Given" is lying across the Suez Canal. Photo: NASA
Another accident occurred at the beginning of the year: the French "Eco Levant" ran off course near Breiholz (Rendsburg-Eckernförde district), presumably due to electronic and engine problems, and crashed into the embankment. The ship was temporarily lying crossways in the canal, as a result of which the Kiel Canal had to be closed. For several hours, it was not possible to pass ships either in Kiel-Holtenau or in Brunsbüttel.
A milestone for the Kiel Canal
Now there is good news: The last of the three huge sliding gates for the future fifth lock chamber in Brunsbüttel left the production hall of the former Nordseewerke in Emden, Lower Saxony, in January.
Canal course and canal crossings. Picture: NOK
The contractor was a consortium consisting of lock specialists DSD NOELL GmbH (Würzburg) and Plauen Stahl Technologie. The lock gates are each 47 metres long, 21 metres high, nine metres wide and weigh more than 2,300 tonnes. The sliding gates, one of which is a replacement, are now being prepared for transport and are to be delivered individually by water to Europe's largest hydraulic construction site in Brunsbüttel by November. The first sliding gate should then be ready for installation at the turn of the year.
kdk, NDR
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