HAMBURG (Reuters) -Inland waterways freight shipping on the river Mosel in western Germany is back to normal with ships able to use a damaged lock for sailings in both directions on the river, navigation authorities said on Friday.
Shipping was stopped on the river, an important transit route for grains and rapeseed between Germany and France, after an accident involving a passenger vessel last week damaged a lock at Sankt Aldegund between Koblenz and Trier.
But the damaged lock is functioning, although more slowly than usual, and hopes are it can remain in use until a new lock is delivered, said a spokesperson for navigation authority WSA.
The lock is examined after each vessel transit and has been functioning well. In addition, a diver will examine the lock below water at least once a week.
A similar lock accident in December on the river, called the Moselle in France, that halted shipping led futures exchange operator Euronext to suspend physical delivery to river ports in eastern France for its rapeseed futures.
(Reporting by Michael Hogan. Editing by Mark Potter)
