GMM Safety | 2024-03-04 | Case Accidents |

A container ship was stuck under the Willemsbrug bridge in ROTTERDAM for several hours before being freed. The ship got stuck under the bridge as it tried to sail under it without properly evaluating the bridge’s clearance. No injuries have been reported in the incident.

Many containers were struck off the ship when it hit the Willemsbrug Bridge, and the ship was stuck underneath for several hours. Expert assessment of the bridge is ongoing to assess the extent of the damage incurred on the ship.

Officials have shut off the bridge as experts evaluate the extent of the damage that was inflicted on it by the ship. The experts are especially looking for any problems with the electricity and gas pipes that run over the bridge. A spokesperson has reported that they aim to open the bridge as soon as possible.

This is not the first instance of a ship hitting the bridge. Two other vessels, including the German-flagged vessel “MONIKA DEYMANN,” have hit the bridge in 2020 and 2022. In both of those instances, containers were knocked off the ship.

The inherent problem lies in the fact that the clearance below the bridge changes, given the tide. It is up to the skippers of the ship to determine whether the clearance is enough for their ship to cross over.