The first modernised leisure boat lock on the Moselle was put into operation in Trier at the end of July. The new technology with semi-automatic self-service corresponds to the well-known and proven concept which is already in use on the waters of Mecklenburg and Brandenburg.
There are now turnstiles at the leisure boat maintenance station and in the lock chamber that can be used to initiate or, if necessary, cancel the lockage. In contrast to the previous procedure on the Moselle, it is no longer necessary to disembark.
The chamber was also equipped with additional ladders and holding bars to make it easier to guide the lines. The gates are only partially opened to allow the water to flow more smoothly into the chamber - a sensible safety measure given the large drop height of the Moselle locks and the corresponding water pressure.
For the 2012 season, the boat locks at the other barrages in the area of responsibility of the Trier Waterways and Shipping Office will be modernised, those in the area of the WSA Koblenz will then follow.
With the development of the Moselle into a major shipping route in the 1960s, a major shipping lock and a boat lock with usable chamber dimensions of 18 m x 3.30 m were built at each of the 12 barrages from Koblenz to Apach. (Recreational craft that correspond to these dimensions must use them).
Due to the age-related poor overall condition of the facilities, the modernisation of the boat locks on the Moselle began in 2010. A modernisation concept was drawn up that provides for the replacement of the boat lock gates, the renewal of the drive, electrical and control technology and the repair of the chamber platforms at all boat locks on the Moselle by 2014.
Christian Tiedt
Editor Travel
