During a loading accident at the Stromkaje in Bremerhaven, a container loaded with steel plates fell onto a bunker vessel. The damaged vessel was subsequently prohibited from leaving port.
An accident occurred during container handling at the Stromkaje in Bremerhaven. A Maersk container loaded with steel plates fell onto a bunker vessel moored there whilst being loaded. According to the police, no one was injured in the incident. No hazardous goods were spilled.
The vessel involved is the “Weser-Service”. Built in 1986, the 86-metre-long vessel is operated by UTG Unabhängige Tanklogistik as a bunkering and waste disposal vessel in Bremerhaven and on the River Weser. The tanker has eight tank compartments with a total volume of 1,702 m³. In addition to supplying marine gas oil and gas oil for inland waterway shipping, it also handles the disposal of slop, sludge and scrubber waste.
The box was damaged in the collision and subsequently recovered. The “Weser-Service” also sustained damage to its hull. The authorities subsequently imposed a sailing ban on the bunker vessel, which was then escorted by a pilot to the Kaiserhafen. According to police reports, the container ship involved sustained no damage.
BSU launches preliminary investigation
Administrative proceedings have been initiated against the operator responsible for the container gantry. The exact circumstances of the accident are currently under investigation.
As reported by the ‘Nordsee-Zeitung’, the Federal Bureau of Maritime Accident Investigation (BSU) has also launched a preliminary investigation. According to the newspaper, the accident occurred whilst loading operations were taking place on the “Mathilde Maersk’ However, there has as yet been no official confirmation of the container ship’s involvement.
