APOLLO

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Apollp mission accomplished

The "Apollo" was lightered by the Czechian "Rio 2" and two barges on June 17. The operation was carried out with the help of a dredger installed on board the "Meißen" of the Dresden Shipping Authority. A first attempt by the "Rio 2" to pull the "Apollo" stern first back into the fairway failed, when the towing wire broke, so lightering of the foreship was continued. At 3 p.m. the "Apollo" finally came off the ground. German report with photo: http://www.dnn-online.de/radebeul/web/radebeul-nachrichten/detail/-/specific/Apollo-Mission-geglueckt-Der-auf-Grund-gelaufene-Elbefrachter-ist-geborgen-1658028890

Barge grounded on the Elbe

The "Apollo" ran aground on the right side of the Elbe near the ferry pt. Kötitz on June 8, 2014. The ship was underway river downstream to Czechia with a cargo of 500 tons fertilizer and got stuck on its whole length. Due to a sinking water level on the river the ship was threatened to break in two and had to be lightered urgently. For this purpose the river was closed for all traffic at the accident site on June 17. The water level at Könitz actually was only 87 centimeters, compared with 1,4 meters one week ago. A first attempt to refloat the barge on June 13 with the help of the tug "Beskydy" from Böhmen had failed. The Czechian river authorities had opened dams in Ústí and Labem to raise the water level by 30 centimeters, but in Könitz it was only 15 centimeters, so that the tug had to abort its attempt after about four hours, and the decision was taken to send a lighter vessel. The accident was thought to have been caused by a navigational mistake of the master. The crew of three had remained on board since the grounding. German report with photo: http://www.sz-online.de/nachrichten/schiff-droht-auseinander-zu-brechen-2861523.html