The sailing season at the Brno reservoir came to an end yesterday, following a season marked by the challenge of heavy flooding.
From April until yesterday, 30 October, the ships of the Brno Transport Company (DPMB) transported 286,000 passengers. As usual, the busiest months were July and August, when DPMB transported a total of 162,000 passengers. The biggest challenge of the season was the flooding in September, which saw boats landing on the bed of the reservoir for the first time ever.
“This year’s season was one of the strongest due to the pleasant summer,” said Miloš Havránek, general director of DPMB. “We transported a total of 286,000 people. There was also great interest in charter cruises, of which we carried out 180. Now the ships will undergo a regular winter service so that they can return to regular lines with passengers in April. We will also continue to restore bridges and replace old ones with new ones at six stops, including Bystrc, Mečkov, Skály, and Veverská Bítýška.”
DPMB had to deal with the consequences of the heavy flooding at the end of the season. “We were faced with a crisis situation where we had to react to sudden changes in the level of the dam in a very short period of time,” said DPMB transport director Jan Seitl. “Under normal circumstances we would have pulled the boats ashore, but there was no time for that. When the water began to recede, we took the bridges onto the wharf and then monitored the level day and night. Based on our measurements, we then adjusted the height of the pier to avoid damage to the ships. The water level dropped by 2.5 metres and the ships sat on the bottom, for the first time in the history of Brno shipping. Luckily we got out of the situation unscathed.” The regular service was interrupted from 13-21 September.
Seven DPMB ships are now awaiting to be taken ashore for regular winter maintenance, which includes inspection of the underwater part of the vessel and structure, maintenance of engines and electrical systems, filters, battery disassembly and connections for so-called winter maintenance charging, inspection of the cabling and electronic systems, revision and repairs of on-board equipment, and cleaning and treatment of the external surface. The docks will also be inspected and maintained.
DPMB operates seven electric boats, each with a capacity of 120–200 people. The waterway from Bystrc–Veverská Bítýška is less than 10 km long and ships can cover the distance in 70 minutes one-way, or a round trip in around 2.5 hours. 50-60 people, including captains and sailors, ensure the operation of the boats in the summer months.
