European hub ports are shut down and main waterways are closed
Sunny Worldwide LogisticsIt is a logistics company with more than 20 years of transportation experience, focusing on markets such as Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia, and Southeast Asia. It is more of a cargo owner than a cargo owner~
On the evening of April 9, a serious oil spill occurred in the Port of Antwerp, Belgium. At the time of the incident, the container ship "MSC Denmark VI" was performing refueling operations in the Delgankodok Port Pool. A leak occurred during the process. The oil pollution quickly spread to the main channel of the Scheldt River, causing the port's access to and from the port to be completely disrupted. The berthing and unberthing plans of many ships were affected to varying degrees.
Impact of the accident: The main channel is closed, the ship lock is out of service, and the ship is stranded
After the accident, the oil film spread from the Dergankodok harbor basin to the Scheldt River, forcing the port to urgently close the section of the river between buoy No. 80 and the entrance to the harbor basin. At the same time, key navigation facilities such as the Zandvliet Lock and the Berendrecht Lock were also forced to suspend operations, and the port's deep-sea shipping and inland shipping connections were temporarily interrupted.
As oil pollution continues to spread, ship dispatching around the port has been significantly disrupted. Ocean-going ships docked at the Europa Terminal, river barges operating near the Gargenshall Nature Reserve, and at least one tugboat are all unable to enter and exit normally due to the closure of the channel. As of the evening of April 10, a total of 29 outgoing ships and 25 incoming ships were waiting.
Latest developments: Navigation has resumed on the Scheldt River, but the Dergankodoc basin remains closed
After emergency treatment, the Scheldt River channel was restored to navigation at 13:30 local time on April 10. The Port Authority confirmed that the source of the leak has been controlled, the ship involved has been contained, and further spread has not occurred. The Boudewijn and Van Cauwelaert locks on the right bank have been put back into operation, and the Kallo lock on the left bank has also resumed traffic.
However, the Delgan Kedoc harbor basin is still closed and the recovery time has not yet been determined. The port stated that the focus of current operations is to fully clean up the Delgankodok harbor basin, Noordzee and Europa terminals, and the Berendrecht-Zandvliet lock area. In addition, the clean-up work of the Gargenshall Nature Reserve is also ongoing, and the relevant ecological impact assessment is still progressing.
Ecological concerns: Oil pollution may have long-term effects on the wetland environment
The oil spilled has affected nature reserves such as Gargenshall and Paardenschor. According to a spokesman for the environmental group Natuurpunt, many dead birds have been found. Birds may be poisoned by ingesting oil while preening their feathers. More worryingly, heavier oils could seep into the soil and impact the food chain of birds that feed on worms and shellfish. Since the area is already facing significant environmental pressure, ecological recovery may take several years.
Tips for cargo owners
At present, the main channel of the Scheldt River has been restored to navigation and the right bank lock has also been reopened, but the Delgankodok harbor basin is still closed. The clean-up operation is still continuing. It is recommended that companies that have goods entering or leaving the Port of Antwerp in the near future should pay attention to port dynamics and notifications from shipping companies in a timely manner, confirm shipping schedules with carriers in advance, and plan shipments reasonably to avoid delays caused by port congestion or restricted operations.
