Cargo Vessel Collides with Rotterdam Bridge, Losing Containers in River Maas

For the second time this year, an inland cargo vessel navigating containers in and out of the Port of Rotterdam collided with one of the city’s roadway bridges. Residents along the River Maas heard a loud noise and saw shipping containers from MSC and Maersk floating in the river. Officials speculated that the captain of the cargo vessel may have misjudged the clearance under the Willemsbrug bridge or the height of the load. Videos online showed the vessel partially passing under the bridge, causing containers to hit the underside and fall into the river.

Five containers were reported lost, with three floating towards the Van Brenenoord Bridge. The next vessel in the river had to make an emergency stop to avoid hitting the containers. Some reports suggest two containers sank, while others claim four have been retrieved. One sunken container was spotted on the river bed. The vessel involved in the incident has been detained, and the captain is being interviewed. Engineers are assessing the damage to the bridge, which sustained some damage.

This incident mirrors a similar one in March when another vessel got stuck under the Willemsbrug bridge, losing at least two containers into the waterway. Rescue teams had to wait for the river level to lower before freeing the vessel. The current situation has raised concerns about the safety of cargo vessels navigating the river and passing under bridges in Rotterdam. Authorities are investigating the cause of the collision and working to prevent similar incidents in the future.

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