NAUTILIA

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Salvage work succeeded after five failed attempts

The removal of the 'Nautilia' was continued on Dec 12 after five attempts to free the ship by pulling and pushing from the upper and lower currents had failed on the Main near Karlstadt and were aborted on Dec 11 at 6 p.m. without success. At 10.09 a.m. the ship was finally freed and then pulled back into the Schwenk Port by the tank barge 'Thüringen' (MMSI: 211498120) along with the icebreaker 'Angermünde'. Following the success, the 'Thüringen' mmediately resumed the voyage towards Himmelstadt. The Main had to remain closed to shipping traffic, probably until 5 p.m. on Dec 12. The shipping lane must be checked before it is reopened. After the ship has been salvaged, it will be examined for damage in the port of the cement works,, in which it had sailed, loaded with 2,000 tons of clinker granulate, on Dec 10. The extent of the damage is still unclear. Up to 30 ships were affected by the closure of the Main due to the accident. Seven cargo ships were already waiting from Erlabrunn on the morning of Dec 12, and 14 more ships were waiting from Harrbach in the direction of upstream on the Main, including a river cruise ship in Karlstadt. Passengers from England and Australia who were travelling from Amsterdam to Budapest for two weeks and have had to take an involuntary break in Karlstadt at the cruise ship dock, have been waiting there since Dec 10. On Dec 11 the guests visited Würzburg by bus. Reports with photos and video: https://www.main-echo.de/region/kreis-main-spessart/schiff-liegt-in-karlstadt-quer-im-main-art-8414647 https://www.infranken.de/lk/main-spessart/blaulicht/wuerzburg-und-karlstadt-main-blockiert-fuenf-schiffe-im-einsatz-art-5995207 https://www.main-echo.de/region/kreis-main-spessart/topthemen/quer-liegendes-schiff-in-karlstadt-der-zusammenfassende-bericht-im-videoreport-art-8415958

Salvage operation more complicated than expected

The work to free the 'Nautila' on Dec 11 has proved more difficult than expected. Several attempts to turn the ship back into the fairway failed. A towing wire broke during a promising attempt around midday. During a fifth attempt in the evening with the help of the icebreaker 'Angermünde', the ship did move a little, but the stern was secured. The blockage will be maintained until Doc 12 in any case, because the fairway needs to be checked. The ship initially had touched a component in the river when leaving the port, and was then carried sideways by the current. The ship was originally supposed to be freed during the morning. Reports with photos: https://www.n-tv.de/regionales/bayern/Frachter-versperrt-Main-weiteres-Schiff-freigeschleppt-article25426305.html https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/nach-havarie-auf-dem-main-schwierige-schiffsbergung,UWe8NPj https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/nach-havarie-auf-dem-main-schwierige-schiffsbergung,UWe8NPj

Ship blocks fairway on the Main

The 'Nautilia' drifted perpendicular to the fairway of the Main river near Karlstadt in the area of ​​the Schwenk company on Dec 10, 2024, at 1 p.m. LT, after unmooring from the port after having been loaded with 2000 tons cement clinker at the local cement works. When it then entered the Main's shipping channel again, it was caught in the current and went adrift ending up sideways in the river, getting stuck in pos. 49° 57' N 009° 46' E. The Main Waterways and Shipping Authority (WSA) was notified by the captain. The ship suffered rudder damage and has dropped anchor. Experts were on site on the afternoon to check how the ship, which was probably not badly damaged, can be freed. It may just need a push and then it can continue sailing after having been examined for its seaworthiness. On the foremidday of Dec 11, the pusher tug 'Paula' (MMSI: 211509160) arrived to remove the ship from the fairway, supported by the ice breaker 'Angermünde' (MMSI: 211660870) and the workboat 'Sinn' MMSI: 211661030). The Main was dammed up a few centimeters for the salvage work in consultation with the power plant operator Uniper, which is responsible for the Himmelstadt lock. Reports with photo and video: https://www.radiogong.com/aktuelles/news/karlstadt-schiff-liegt-quer-im-main-schifffahrt-eingestellt https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/gueter-schiff-auf-dem-main-liegt-quer-schifffahrts-sperre,UWZ4vFR