(L-R) Lex Delles, Minister of the Economy, SMEs, Energy & Tourism; Yuriko Backes, Minister of Mobility & Public Works; Max Nilles, Head of Inland Navigation & Logistics; Raphaël Zumsteeg, Railway Service;
Credit: MECO
On Tuesday 17 December 2024, Luxembourg’s Minister of Mobility and Public Works, Yuriko Backes, and Minister of the Economy, SMEs, Energy and Tourism, Lex Delles, visited the Port of Mertert, following an incident that took place at the Müden lock on the German Moselle on Sunday 8 December.
The ministers met with port operators to discuss the consequences of the incident and the best way to support the Port of Mertert and the companies affected.
This incident involved the collision of a barge with the downstream gate of the Müden lock. It caused major damage, leading to the total interruption of navigation on the Moselle. The German authorities, in charge of the operations, estimated that the repair work should be completed by the end of March 2025.
Faced with what the ministries described as an “exceptional situation”, the Luxembourg government is said to be analysing several measures to mitigate the impact on the companies concerned and keep production lines operational, in particular by adapting the rules for road transport. The implementation of partial unemployment in cases of force majeure has already been formally established at the Economic Committee held on Monday 16 December and for which three applications were received and considered eligible.
The ministers reaffirmed their desire to do everything possible to minimise the economic consequences of this interruption of navigation and maintain the competitiveness of Luxembourg companies.
On Monday 16 December, the first boats successfully passed through the Müden lock using the emergency cofferdams (temporary barriers). It is hoped that the boats currently stuck could be evacuated from the Moselle by the end of the year.
Minister Backes stated: “Following the announcement of the incident on the Moselle, we reacted immediately and are maintaining close contact with the authorities and stakeholders concerned. My services have offered our support to the German authorities and remain attentive to the needs of the sector. In a proactive approach, we are preparing solutions to meet possible future requests. Our priority is to support the affected sectors, in particular by facilitating the modal shift to rail and road, and by considering a relaxation of driving hours for heavy goods vehicles to mitigate the impact on the supply chain.”
Minister Delles added: "Faced with the incident on the Moselle, it seemed essential to us to go on the ground to fully understand the extent of the damage for the operators of the Port of Mertert and listen to their concerns in order to provide them with concrete support. The government remains of course mobilised to support the Luxembourg companies affected. Through the economic committee, the companies concerned can in particular benefit from partial unemployment for cases of force majeure, which is proving to be a well-suited tool for dealing with exceptional situations such as the one they are currently experiencing."
