Collision at the NOK: Risk for ships increases - 38 times too high!

Collision at the NOK: Risk for ships increases - 38 times too high!

The Water Stirroom and Shipping Office (WSA) has stopped a total of 38 too high ships on the North Ostsee Canal (NOK) in the past three years. The maximum permitted height for ships in the NOK is 30 meters.

These measures are a reaction to a collision that occurred in 2022. Of the 38 stopped ships, 18 were only up to 20 centimeters too high, which enabled a onward journey under certain conditions. Some ships were able to take ballast to reduce the height. However, three ships had to avoid the NOK and take the longer path over the Skagerrak, which is about 460 kilometers longer. This detour is often avoided by shipping companies, since the weather conditions north of Denmark are considered difficult.

captain's attempt and consequences of the collision

A captain even considered to saw a mast to enable the onward journey, but this application was not approved. The WSA regularly carries out height controls of the ships in Kiel and Brunsbüttel. On the occasion of the collision in November 2022, in which a Finnish ship damaged the Holtenauer Hochbrücken, renovation costs of around nine million euros were incurred. The collision was caused by a crane that was four meters too high and was to be transported from Rostock to Esbjerg via the NOK. This incident led to damage to the crane, the bridges and the ship "Meri". The NOK and the federal road B503 had to be blocked and a report by the Federal Office for Lake Accident Investigation for this incident was published.

For further information on contact points of the WSA, such as contact details and journey descriptions, interested parties can visit the website of the WSA Nord-Ostsee Canal, which provides comprehensive information, including contact details for the locations Kiel and Brunsbüttel, as well as to get to the lock view platform in Kiel.

Further information on the controls on the NOK can be found on the website of NDR: ndr .

Contact information and approach-related details on the locations of the WSA can be viewed on the official website of the WSA Nord-Ostsee Canal: wsa North Ostsee Canal .