Following another collison between a water taxi and this time a water bus in Rotterdam, the Dutch Safety Board is holding a roundtable discussion in January. The Board has invited parties involved in passenger transport on the Nieuwe Maas in Rotterdam.
On 23 November, a water taxi and water bus collided at exactly the same location (near the Erasmus Bridge) as where a water taxi and a harbour tour boat collided on 21 July 2022.
Also read: DSB after water taxi incident: Nieuwe Maas shipping needs more direction
‘Concrete efforts neeeded’
Parties have responded to the recommendations made by the Safety Board within the investigation into the 2022 collision. The Dutch Safety Board has postponed its response to them until after the roundtable discussion.
Erica Bakkum, councillor: ‘Rotterdam citizens are known for their “roll-up their sleeves” mentality. We want to see that on this file too. Good rules are one thing, but a more safety-oriented work culture is another. We would like to hear from parties how they are making concrete efforts to make shipping on the Nieuwe Maas safer.’
Also read: DSB: Stricter instructions for transfer of pilots
The incidents in brief
On the Nieuwe Maas river in the centre of Rotterdam, a harbour tour boat and a water taxi collided on 21 July 2022. The skipper and five passengers of the water taxi ended up in a bubble under the overturned water taxi, but were all able to be rescued. The Dutch Safety Board’s investigation report into this incident was published on 17 January 2024.
In this report, the Board concluded that the heavy traffic on the Nieuwe Maas calls for more direction and professionalisation. The also recommended that Watertaxi Rotterdam consistently pays attention to boaters’ behaviour and compliance with rules. For example, skippers should receive more training and be less distracted.
Furthermore, the Safety Board recommends that the Nieuwe Maas be made less complex. This is up to the Harbourmaster Rotterdam and the municipality of Rotterdam, together with users such as Watertaxi Rotterdam, Royal Spido and Waterbus. There should also be a clearer legal framework to enforce compliance with rules, for example on who can sail where and at what speed.
At almost the same spot near the Erasmus Bridge, another collision occurred on Saturday evening 23 November 2024, this time between a water taxi and a water bus. The skipper and the two occupants of the water taxi were slightly injured.
According to local news website Rijnmond, the water taxi was sailing too fast when leaving from Leuvehaven. Also, the vessel did not cross at a good distance from the Waterbus, which should be the case according to the rules.
Picture: Nieuwe Maas river and Erasmus Bridge (by Guilhem Vellut/Flickr).
Also read: DSB: Fatal collision shows need for better sailing behaviour and regulations on Wadden Sea
