A serious container handling accident occurred at the Port of Rotterdam, in the Nieuwe Maas area, on the evening of February 6, when a stack of containers toppled from a mega container ship and struck an adjacent LNG bunkering vessel.
The accident involved the German-flagged Bangkok Express, an ultra-large container vessel (ULCV) boasting a capacity of over 23,000 TEU and operated by Hapag-Lloyd. While the 400-meter ship was undergoing unloading procedures at the quay, a container stack collapsed, sending multiple units overboard.
At least five containers reportedly landed on the stern of the K. Lotus, a 166-meter LNG bunkering vessel that was moored alongside and actively engaged in bunkering procedures. Several other containers fell into the water, creating immediate navigational hazards in the terminal’s basin.
Upon impact, the crew of the K. Lotus swiftly executed emergency shutdown protocols to isolate the LNG transfer systems. All personnel evacuated to safety, and no injuries or leaks of LNG were reported.
The Bangkok Express remained at the berth as terminal activities in the immediate area were halted to facilitate a damage assessment and the recovery of submerged containers.
The extent of the structural damage to the bunker vessel’s stern and superstructure has not been fully disclosed. Port authorities and Hapag-Lloyd are conducting a formal investigation into the cause of the stack instability.
