Port of Rotterdam announced that through out 2018, 29.475 sea-going vessels arrived. That is 200 less in comparison to 2017 and equal to 2013’s numbers. Also, the number of accidents decreased from 129 to 118, on approximately a million shipping movements,maritime and inland shipping. Although the number of accidents decreased, rules have to be updated, according to the port’s statement.
Specifically, by the 118 accidents five were serious. That is 200 fewer than last year (29,646) and as many as in 2013 (29,436). Among the number of accidents, 14 accidents involved pleasure craft.
Additionally, the harbour Master René de Vries commented on the number of this year’s accidents:
Quite a lot for such a small group of waterway users. We want to do something about that this year.
For that reason, the harbour master has drawn conclusions from a new risk assessment with stakeholders.
The regulations for speed limits along the bank and when entering and leaving ports must be better acknowledged by waterway users, and the Port Authority must monitor sailing behaviour more intensively.
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Basic rules, such as paying attention to each other, taking each other into account, sailing properly, crossing straight, being clear and, of course, complying with the traffic rules should be followed in order to prevent future accidents.
Moreover, except the Bow Jubail oil spill in 2015, a water taxi collided with a sloop, a pleasure craft sank, a patrol boat ran aground during a trial run and a flat-bottomed vessel almost got stuck between the shore and a ship.
Concluding, René de Vries noted that the city, the river and the shipping industry must be able to coexist. For the Port Authority, safety is of primary importance.
