Information on the waterway
Source: Col de Bussang (in the Vosges)
Confluence: at Koblenz, where it flows into the Rhine
Total length: 392 km
Difference in elevation: 161 m
Number of dams: 28 (10 in Germany, 2 in Germany/Luxembourg condominium,16 in France)
Depth of navigation channel: 3 m under water level after structural improvements
Width of navigation channel: minimum 40 m
Loaded draft: 2.80 m
Narrowest curve radius: 350 m at the “Bremmer Bogen”
Minimum clearance under bridges: 6 m at highest navigable water level
Drainage basin: 28,000 m²
Waterway class: Vb
Main tributaries: Meurthe, Seille, Madon, Orne, Sauer, Saar
Ports: Trier, Mertert, Metz, Thionville-Illange, Frouard
Locks
Usable width: 12 m
Usable length: minimum 172 m
additional chambers Trier and Fankel: 210 m x 12,50 m, depth: 12,50 m
additional chamber Zeltingen: 210 m x 12,50 m, depth: 11,50 m
Chamber dimensions of the second smaller locks:
Koblenz: 122 m x 12 m, depth: 3 m
Thionville, Richemont, Talange, Metz & Toul: 38.5 m x 5,10 m, depth: minimum 2,20 m (Metz: 2,50 m)
Dimension of boat locks: Length: 18 m, width: 3.5 m, depth: 1.5 m
Permitted ships and barge trains
Individual ships: up to 110 m in length and 11.45 m in width (as of 1 January 2010 individual ships that are up to 135 m long may be permitted to navigate without a special permit under certain conditions).
Pushed barge trains with up to two pushed barges: Overall length of up to 172.1 m and up to 11.45 m in width (under certain conditions).
Towed barge trains: up to 250 m overall length and 11.45 m in width (under certain conditions).
Copyright © 2021 - Sekretariat der Moselkommission, Trier | Impressum
News
Publication of a new study on low water
Ms Saskia Meuchelböck, researcher at Aarhus University (Denmark), has published a new study on the impact of low water levels on supply chains and firms. This study is part of t [more]
Survey of De Vlaamse Waterweg nv regarding remote operation
The Belgian waterway operator De Vlaamse Waterweg nv has launched a short survey among the users of the Belgian inland waterway network regarding the planned remote ope [more]
New EuRIS portal online
As of now, all inland waterway users can use a new European information portal called EuRIS to plan their voyage.
On a single platform EuRIS combines all waterway and [more]
Film about the Moselle now available in English
In 2019, the Luxembourg Ministry of Mobility and Public Works published a film (in German) which presents the inland waterway Moselle and its infrastructure in the join [more]




