Container Ship Eco Levant Runs Aground in Kiel Canal

A French-flagged container ship, the Eco Levant, ran aground on the northern bank of the Kiel Canal, also known as the Nord-Ostsee-Kanal, on January 16. The grounding took place near the Rüsterbergen pilot station in Germany at approximately 1:00 AM local time while the ship was traveling eastward from Antwerp to Kiel.

According to the Neumünster police, the incident was attributed to a mechanical failure caused by a hydraulic system defect.

As a result, the Kiel Canal was completely closed for several hours, disrupting the passage of 20 vessels in both directions.

The canal authority quickly responded to the situation, deploying the tugboat Holtenau to assist. By around 8:00 AM local time, the Eco Levant was successfully refloated with the help of the tug. The vessel was then moored at the heavy-load port in Rendsburg-Osterrönfeld, where authorities boarded to conduct a thorough investigation.

After the hydraulic system was repaired and clearance was obtained from the classification society DNVGL, the ship was allowed to continue its journey.

Data indicates that the Eco Levant departed the Kiel Canal on January 17 and is expected to reach Muuga, Estonia, on January 19.