Last Wednesday, September 11, a container barge struck the Willemsbrug Bridge in Rotterdam at around 8:45 am, causing five containers to fall into the Meuse River. Authorities have launched an investigation.
Container barge and the Willemsbrug Bridge
Rotterdam port authorities indicated that no injuries were reported, while they continue to investigate the extent of the damage caused to the affected bridge, with engineers being deployed for the assessment of the structure. On the other hand, some witnesses reported that the accident was accompanied by a loud bang, while videos on social networks showed containers of the companies MSC and Maersk floating from the river Nieuwe Maas.
The Willemsbrug Bridge. Source: Port of Rotterdam
The port operator Havenbedrijf Rotterdam confirmed that of the five containers that fell, four were recovered. The fifth sank, but was located by a sounding vessel, which was able to measure its depth in the river. Following the incident, the vessel was moored in Noordereiland and the master is being questioned by the port authorities.
Among the first theories, a“possible miscalculation” on the part of the captain and the height of the bridge are pointed out. However, something that calls the attention of specialists is that“the course of the barge did not stop immediately after the collision“, which has increased speculation about the causes and possible circumstances of the accident. This is the second collision of a vessel with a bridge in Rotterdam so far this year. In March, another vessel hit a similar structure, causing two containers to fall into the water.
Willemsbrug. Alweer… pic.twitter.com/qNYhJms07m
– Meijer (@joostm21) September 11, 2024
The ongoing investigation seeks to clarify the cause of the accident and assess possible additional risks to the port’s operations. The safety and management of maritime traffic in a port city of Rotterdam’s magnitude is critical, which is why incidents such as this one attract the attention of authorities and companies involved in maritime transport, such as MSC and Maersk.
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Source: Port of Rotterdam
Photo: X.com