Kiel Canal lock closed after ship allision

The Kiel Canal Authority has closed one big lock at Kiel after a cargo ship allided with the lock gate.

On 29 August 2020, the Panama-flagged singledecker Else crashed into the northern lock of the Kiel Canal while approaching the pier of the Lindenau Yard, according to data provided by VesselsValue. The lock gate was closed at the time of the incident, several German news agencies reported.

The 88-metre-long ship, which was en route to Les Sables in France, allided with the metal structure and was stuck there for about six hours. Eventually, it was towed away by tugs.

The allision caused severe damage to the lock gate, GAC said.

An investigation into the cause of the incident is ongoing. Unconfirmed reports suggest that there was no pilot on board the 3,700 dwt ship – a requirement for vessels transiting the waterway.

“There is therefore only one big lock currently available at Kiel,” the shipping services provider informed.

“Repair works will start in due course, but it is not currently known how long the lock will remain closed.”

GAC added that there is currently no waiting time, but this may change subject to traffic.

Back in 2018, a similar incident occurred when the containership Akacia rammed into the gate at a speed of more than 20 km/h. The partially destroyed lock gate needed to be removed and repaired.