US EditionOil Spill Shuts Down Port of Antwerp, Europe's No. 2 Cargo Hub
The port said the spill stopped fuel transfer and forced emergency crews to contain pollution as traffic near the dock remained closed.
- Shipping was largely halted in Antwerp today after an oil spill occurred during a "bunkering operation" at the Deurganck Dock, Europe's second-biggest port said as it raced to contain pollution risks.
- Local media reported the incident involved the container ship MSC Denmark. Antwerp processes around 267 million tonnes of goods annually, used by 20,000 seagoing vessels, making the closure economically significant.
- While the source was stopped, the port said "the pollution spread further towards the Scheldt" overnight. Emergency services are fully mobilised, "doing everything possible to minimise both operational and ecological damage."
- The Scheldt is "currently fully closed to traffic" near the dock, with disruptions expected "certainly for today, possibly for several days." MSC confirmed involvement and focused on safeguarding "the crew, the terminal, the nature."
- Expressing concern, the port stated, "We regret the impact of this incident on our port and the vulnerable nature areas along the Scheldt." Officials prioritise containment to prevent further ecological damage.
60 Articles
60 Articles
Around 50 ships are stuck, important access routes are blocked: after an incident during refuelling, spilled oil spreads in the Belgian port. It affects both operation and the environment.
A fuel spill during the refueling of one of the ships has shut down a large part of the port of Antwerp, Belgium. Intervention vessels are at work cleaning up the fuel and trying to limit the pollution, the operator of Europe's second-largest port said.
It is an unusual traffic jam that is currently being created in Antwerp: 50 ships cannot enter or leave after an accident. To prevent further spread of the spilled oil, the locks had to be closed.
An oil spill during a ship's refueling halted most traffic in the port of Antwerp, Belgium, on Friday.
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