Freudenau lock reopens after Danube cruise ship collision

The damaged lock at Freudenau has reopened to shipping two weeks after a Danube cruise ship struck one of its gates, ORF reported.

The collision first hit the central pier of the lock wall before the passenger vessel struck the right-hand gate. The impact damaged the timber structure in front of the gate.

Repair crews replaced the timber over two weeks. The lock’s hydraulic system suffered no major damage, according to Verbund, which operates the Freudenau Danube power plant.

The left lock chamber remained open during the repairs. Shipping was not heavily affected because water levels on the Danube are currently low and traffic is limited, Verbund said.

A scheduled inspection of the left-hand gate will take place in autumn. Workers will also check whether the right-hand gate requires further repairs.

The cruise ship MS Anna Katharina was towed to a shipyard in Linz on the orders of the shipping authorities and is due to be repaired there. The cause of the collision remains unclear.

The vessel voluntarily carried a so-called black box. The operator and the Dutch registration authority will analyse the recorded data. Police are also investigating the accident on suspicion of negligent bodily injury, although a technical fault remains possible.