by Manal Barakat, SeaNewsEditor

In the early hours of Thursday, 2 January 2025, a cargo ship collided with the inland gate of the large northern lock in Brunsbüttel, Germany.

According to local media, the incident occurred when the ship's engine failed as it entered the Kiel Canal from the Elbe.

Despite deploying an emergency anchor, the ship was unable to stop and rammed into the closed lock gate, causing significant damage.

The impact deformed the inner gate of the large northern chamber and caused a dent approximately two meters deep, rendering it initially unusable.

Following the incident, shipping traffic was redirected to another lock chamber. However, experts' inspection revealed that the large northern lock could still be used at low water levels.

The authorities assured that the restrictions on shipping would remain manageable.

However, repair work on the damaged gate is expected to be complex and the imposed restrictions could remain for an extended period.