Container ship capsized in Antwerp

8 March 2007

BRUSSELS – A large container ship capsized in the Verrebroekdok in the Antwerp port this morning. The 216-metre ship was carrying vehicles and containers. Some of the cargo has fallen into the water. There were no casualties.

The captain of the roll-on, roll-off ship ordered the crew off the ship when he noticed it was taking in water. None of the 34 crew members, of Italian and Romanian nationality, were injured. No passengers were injured either.

The Verrebroekdok was cleared for traffic once again on Thursday afternoon. The boat checking the area for obstacles beneath the water that could pose a danger to other craft completed its search and it was decided to re-open the area for traffic.

A secure area is still in place around the capsized ship.

The Italian ship, the Republica Di Genova of Grimaldi Shipping Lines, had just loaded containers and cars and was ready to leave the port headed for Luanda, the capital of Angola, in southern Africa.

It is still not clear what caused the ship to capsize. No cars are in the water at this time, but that could change once the cars secured below deck become loose.

The accident does not pose any damage to the environment.

Subject: Belgian news