On the Nieuwe Maas in Rotterdam, six empty containers have fallen overboard as the container vessel the MS Sensation hit the Willemsbrug. Authorities suspect the captain made an error in judgement. SWZ Maritime editor Hugo Dill happened to be on site and made https://www.swzonline.nl/fotoverslag/74[the pictures that we have posted in a photo album]. You can also watch https://www.swzonline.nl/weblog/3[a video] made by https://www.rijnmond.nl/[RTV Rijnmond].
The ship hit the bridge on Wednesday morning around 8 am. It was sailing upstream with empty containers. It was high tide at 3 am, with low tide to occur at 11 am. No personal accidents occurred and, although it took several hours, the containers were all salvaged against the shore. The bridge was closed to traffic for quite some time.
Possible Causes
The captain was a 31-year old man from Rotterdam who sails this route several times a week. The ship sailed some way under the bridge until it got stuck against the arches of the bridge. Authorities suspect the captain misjudged either the tide and/or the height of the vessel or was sailing with too little ballast.
The MS Sensation with one container still askew on board and another one being hoisted ashore (bottom right) (picture SWZ Maritime/H.R.M. Dill)
