An oil leak on the box carrier ‘MSC Renaissance III’ temporarily disrupted shipping traffic in the Deurganckdok at the Port of Antwerp. According to the port authorities, the spill was confined to the immediate vicinity of the ship.
The incident occurred recently at the MPET terminal in the Deurganckdok. The “MSC Renaissance III” was moored there near Quay 1718 when oil began to leak from a hole in the ship’s hull above the waterline. The liquid entered the water between the ship and the quay edge. It was not initially known how the damage had occurred or how much oil had leaked.
Emergency and clean-up services immediately set about containing the spill. According to the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, the oil remained confined to the area around the ship and did not enter the Scheldt. Two inland vessels that were in the affected area were cleaned and were subsequently able to leave.
‘Kieldrechtsluis’ lock temporarily closed
From Monday evening, part of the Deurganck Dock was closed to shipping. Vessels were unable to pass the ‘MSC Renaissance III’. The Kieldrechtsluis lock was also temporarily taken out of service. Traffic on the left bank of the Scheldt was diverted via the Kallosluis lock wherever possible. Loading and unloading operations, as well as shipping traffic outside the immediately affected area, continued as normal.
According to the latest reports, shipping traffic was able to resume on Tuesday. Clean-up operations have reportedly been completed. The damaged section of the “MSC Renaissance III”’s hull has been provisionally sealed for the time being; a permanent repair is still pending.
The container ship, which flies the Liberian flag, was built in 2006. It is 222.54 m long and 32.2 m wide and has a capacity of around 3,400 TEU. The “MSC Renaissance III”, operated by the world’s largest shipping company MSC on its Canada service, had arrived from Montreal prior to calling at Antwerp.
Another incident at the Deurganckdok
Back in April, a significantly larger oil spill at the Deurganckdok had severely disrupted port operations. On that occasion, oil leaked during a bunkering operation involving the “MSC Denmark VI” and reached the Scheldt and adjacent nature reserves. In July, the area had to be cordoned off again after a container carrying hydrogen fluoride on board the “MSC Mia Summer II” sprang a leak.
