<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3TFFXy_0vYOiENm00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3TFFXy_0vYOiENm00" width="600" height="337" ><p>A cargo barge collided with the Willemsbrug bridge in Rotterdam on Wednesday morning, causing five containers to fall into the Maas River. The incident occurred around 8:45 a.m., and videos circulating on social media showed MSC and Maersk containers floating down the river.</p><p>Harbour operator Havenbedrijf Rotterdam reported that three containers were retrieved shortly after the accident, while two others sank to the riverbed. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but engineers are on site assessing the extent of the damage to the bridge.</p><p>Initial investigations suggest the vessel’s captain may have misjudged the height of the bridge, leading to the collision. Eyewitnesses described a loud bang followed by a scraping noise as the ship struck the bridge’s underside. Surprisingly, the vessel did not stop immediately after the impact, continuing its journey before eventually mooring at Noordereiland. The captain is currently being questioned by authorities to determine the cause of the accident.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">An inland cargo vessel transporting containers to and from the Port of Rotterdam has hit a roadway bridge for the second time this year. Residents along the River Maas heard a loud bang and saw containers from MSC and Maersk floating in the water. <a href="https://t.co/lnaoWbrURM">pic.twitter.com/lnaoWbrURM</a></p><p>— FocuSeaTV - Maritime News (@focuseatv) <a href="https://twitter.com/focuseatv/status/1834164841205957024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2024</a></p><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><p>This incident marks the second time this year that a vessel has struck a bridge in Rotterdam. Back in March, another cargo ship became wedged under the Willemsbrug, losing at least two containers into the waterway. The repeated accidents have raised concerns about navigation safety and the potential for further damage to critical infrastructure.</p><p>Engineers are now focused on evaluating the structural integrity of the Willemsbrug bridge. Although the full extent of the damage remains unknown, this collision highlights ongoing issues with bridge safety in busy shipping lanes, drawing parallels to similar incidents like the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. As investigations continue, Rotterdam’s port officials emphasize the importance of maintaining robust safety measures to prevent future collisions and safeguard the city’s vital infrastructure.</p></div></body>

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Cargo Ship Collides With Rotterdam Bridge, Spilling Containers into River

A cargo barge collided with the Willemsbrug bridge in Rotterdam on Wednesday morning, causing five containers to fall into the Maas River. The incident occurred around 8:45 a.m., and videos circulating on social media showed MSC and Maersk containers floating down the river. Harbour operator Havenbedrijf Rotterdam reported that three...