Two container barges collided on October 13 on the Nieuwe Maas in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Both vessels sustained damage, while no injuries among their crews were reported.
The vessels involved were the German-flagged Trifels and the Belgian-flagged River Drone 10.
Trifels was sailing from Hansweert, while River Drone 10 had departed Moerdijk when the collision occurred on one of Rotterdam’s busiest inland shipping routes.
As a result of the impact, both vessels sustained significant damage to their bow sections above the waterline.
Despite the damage, neither vessel lost buoyancy and there was no need to evacuate the crews.
Following the collision, Trifels and River Drone 10 were able to proceed under their own power to nearby berths in Rotterdam.
No fuel spill or other pollution of the river has been reported following the incident.
There have also been no reports of containers being lost overboard or cargo being damaged.
Local authorities have launched an investigation to establish the sequence of events and determine the cause of the collision.
Investigators will examine the circumstances surrounding the vessels’ approach and identify the factors that led to the accident on the Nieuwe Maas.
