Rhine-Alpine News
16.11.2021
Still serious flood damage to infrastructure
Summer floods: Map of affected German rail infrastructure ©Deutsche Bahn
The catastrophic floods of last July had caused only limited damage to the infrastructure of the Rhine-Alpine corridor. However, Deutsche Bahn gives an assessment of the whole situation in the affected regions to the right and left of the corridor. While most railway lines are back in operation, there still is much damage left, of which a significant proportion cannot be repaired in the short term.
While the assessment covers just rail infrastructure in Germany, a similar picture could be drawn for Belgium and the Netherlands as well as for other segments of infrastructure. Find the statement of Deutsche Bahn here, as well as the link to a high-resolution map (external links).
Accident in thick fog temporarily blocked Upper Rhine
After the recent problems with minimum water flows in the fairway were solved on the Upper Rhine, an accident again temporarily blocked navigation near Karlsruhe. A ship with 1800 tons of corn accidently passed a buoy on the wrong side and ran aground. It could be freed with the help of another barge after some hours. Nobody was hurt. The police mentioned fog with a visibility of only five to ten meters. Read the police statement here (external link).
Serious violation of work rules on river cruise ship
Symbolic photo (Martin Brandt): Work conditions on river cruise ships came under investigation
A crewmember was immediately sent to rest and a manager was arrested for suspicion of fraught. The police inspection of a Swiss river cruise ship, conducted in Rotterdam during late October, found serious work place violations. This included a suspected regular work time of 80 to 100 hours per week with overtime unpaid, as well as manipulated time sheets. Two days later, another river cruise ship was checked in Amsterdam. Again, time sheets were confiscated. Read the police statement here (external link).
Rhine-Alpine Talks “Roadmap towards a Carbon Neutral Rhine-Alpine Corridor”
The last Rhine-Alpine Talks in 2021 taking place on 3 December, 11:00-12:30 h will present the “Roadmap Towards a Carbon Neutral Rhine-Alpine Corridor” developed by the EGTC in close consultation with its boards. For more information see the event page here!