German long steel producer Saarstahl and German steel plate producer Dillinger Group, subsidiaries of Stahl-Holding Saar (SHS), have issued an update regarding the impact of the disruptions of shipping on the Moselle River on their operations.
The companies, which are normally supplied with raw materials such as coal and iron ore by water, have re-arranged their supply of raw materials, securing supplies by rail and road so that production will continue at normal levels. The ban on transportation by trucks on Sundays and public holidays has been suspended by the state governments of Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate until the repair works on the damaged lock on the Moselle Rive have been completed.
According to the companies’ statement, the Saarland steel industry is supporting the federal and state governments in the repair works by providing materials, labor and, if necessary, other services with the aim of completing the repairs as soon as possible. The German Waterways and Shipping Authority is currently making every possible effort to ensure that navigation through the Müden lock can be reopened at the beginning of February 2025. Previously, the river route was expected to be inaccessible until March 2025.
A cargo ship carrying 1,500 metric tons of scrap metal had crashed into a lock gate on the Moselle river on its way to the port of Mertert, Luxembourg, on December 8, resulting in severe damage to the gate, as SteelOrbis previously reported.