Sulfuric Acid-Laden Tanker Capsizes on Rhine River Near Lorelei

By Sylvia Cochran

The German Rhine River, a major industrial artery for commercial shipping, is closed near St. Goarshausen in Rhineland-Palatinate. Located close to the Lorelei cliff, barge traffic is suspended.

Barge "Altwaldhof" Capsizes

The barge christened "Altwaldhof" capsized on the Rhine River. She carried a load of 2,400 tons of sulfuric acid and traveled from southern Germany's Ludwigshafen BASF docks to Antwerp, Belgium.

Thus far, none of the cargo has leaked into the river. Two crew members are missing and feared dead in the frigid river waters (current water temperatures only reach 39 degrees).

The Lorelei Cliff

The location of the shipping accident is St. Goarshausen, a small tourist town nestled along the banks of the Rhine. It is near Lorelei cliff, which signals barge operators that they are reaching one of the most treacherous parts of the river.

Narrow, rocky and with strong currents, the area near the Lorelei has historically been the site of numerous shipwrecks. Local mythology attributed the wrecks to the Siren-song of a Rhine nymph.

Not surprisingly, the area is a must-see on Rhine River cruises and tourist excursions to St. Goarshausen.

No Sign of a 1986 Rhine River Chemical Spill Recurrence

With the sulfuric acid still safely contained, German authorities are painfully aware that a spill would result in yet another major ecological disaster. The last devastating spill occurred in 1986, when a Basel, Switzerland chemical factory fire resulted in a leak that pumped approximately 30 tons of toxins into the Rhine. The concentration was so high that the river's waters turned red.

Looking Ahead: Rhine Closures are not Uncommon

In the wake of the acid-laden tanker's capsizing, the Rhine River will remain closed until the 360-foot tanker can be secured; this may take up to 30 hours. It is a common practice but nevertheless results in inconveniences for shippers relying on timely delivery of goods to manufacturers and commercial consumers.

Another example of this type of temporary closure occurred in March 2007 when a near-capsizing of a barge sent some of its cargo overboard. As a result, the Rhine was closed to through traffic between Cologne-Porz and Cologne-Niehl until the cargo could be retrieved and the barge secured.

What makes a renewed Rhine River closure so frustrating to commercial shippers right now is the fact that traffic had just been re-opened between Cologne and Koblenz -- after weekend flooding left the water levels too high for safe travels.