Four containers fall onto bunkering ship in Antwerp port; pollution risk cited

An incident at the DP World terminal in the Port of Antwerp saw four containers fall from a ship onto a bunkering vessel, prompting an investigation into the cause. The event occurred around 4:00 PM local time while the bunkering vessel was in the process of supplying fuel to another ship.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported as a result of the falling containers. However, according to Lennart Verstappen, a spokesperson for the Port of Antwerp, there is a concern about potential pollution. DP World confirmed that there might be a small oil leak, indicating a risk of environmental contamination.

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The bunkering vessel was at that moment brandstof aan het leveren aan het andere schip.

Authorities are now focused on understanding how the incident happened. The investigation will aim to identify the factors that led to the containers falling, ensuring such an event can be prevented in the future. The focus remains on assessing the extent of any pollution and mitigating its impact.

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Volgens DP World is er wel sprake van eventuele vervuiling, doordat er mogelijk een klein olielek is geweest.