BERNHARD SCHEPERS
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Lock gate working again - ship continued voyage
While the 'Bernhard Schepers' could continue its voyage on Feb 1 at around 2 p.m. UTC with an ETA at Kotka as of Feb 3, the new northern lock remaines closed for ship traffic until Feb 3 at noon. Divers had managed to free the lock gate from obstacles on Feb 1 so that it can be closed and can be balanced.
Allision in Brunsbüttel
On Feb 1, 2025, at 6.27 a.m. the 'Bernhard Schepers', en route from Bremerhaven to Kotka, allided with the central tail and the gate niche of the new north lock of the Kiel Canal in Brunsbüttel upon entering the waterway for the eastbound transit. The accident happened amid dense fog. The ship has remained in the lock chamber in pos. 53° 54' N 009° 09' E since, and investigations have commenced while the ship was berthed in the lock. The lock gate could actually not be moved.
Kiel Canal closed for 12 hours after grounding
Coming from Hamburg, the "Bernhard Schepers" ran aground in the embankment of the Kiel Canal on Oct 4, 2015, at 3.07. a.m. The ship had got too close to the southern embankment of the waterway near Schwartenberg after the canal helmsman had lost orientation in dense fog, leading the ship too close to the northern shore, where the stern got sucked against the embankment with the bow veering to starboard into the southern embankment and getting stuck at the Levensau Bridge. The canal had to be closed for passing traffic for four hours. As the ship was unable to get off with own power, the tugs "Stein" and "Kiel" were called from Kiel, refloated it and berthed it in the East Shore Port in Kiel at 6.40 a.m. for surveys by divers. The "Bernhard Schepers" continued the voyage at 10.40 a.m. and berthed in Fredericia at 7 p.m. before continuing to Malmö at 11 p.m. Waiting times in the Kiel Canal were up to 12 hours after the accident due to the ships having queued up in the time of the grounding.
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