The Müden lock may be able to be used for through shipping traffic again as early as the beginning of February 2025. This was announced jointly by the German and Luxembourg Ministries of Transport. For the Mosel-Saar-Lahn Waterways and Shipping Authority, which is responsible for the lock, which has been closed since 8 December 2024 the time frame is a particular challenge, as the refurbishment measures now have to be implemented more quickly than originally planned.
Repair is carried out in two steps
These measures are to be carried out in two stages: In the first, the damaged lock wall will be provisionally repaired to such an extent that new gate wings can be installed and put into operation. As soon as the Müden lock is open to shipping traffic, the second step will be to carry out the complete repair of the solid structure, exclusively from the lock plateau. This approach is new and has never been practised before, but will allow the lock to be operated almost without restriction during the renovation work.
The WSA Mosel-Saar-Lahn is optimistic that these challenges can be overcome, provided the weather conditions are favourable. More details on the planned renovation measures at the Müden lock will be announced in the coming days.
Replacement gate is already being prepared
A replacement gate, which is stored in Trier, is being completed and made ready for use by the WSA Mosel-Saar-Lahn construction yard. Although the gate was manufactured and preserved back in 2005, many components still need to be fitted to the gate leaves, including contactors, contactor lift shafts, seals and track bearings. These parts, which enable the gate leaves to move, require precise alignment and also conservation. As soon as the gate leaves are complete, they will be loaded onto a ship and transported on the Moselle to the Müden lock. This transport is planned for the third calendar week of 2025.
In Müden, work is currently ongoing to get shipping on the Moselle and Saar back on track. The lock has been used successfully for more than four days without breaks with an improvised emergency procedure for shipping traffic to the south. In this way, the congestion of ships that has built up above is gradually reduced and the onward journey to the Rhine is made possible.
Christian Tiedt
Editor Travel
