Antwerp Harbor Crash Leaves Three Crew Trapped, Cargo Ship Slams Into Dock, Steel Twists, Sirens Wail

Antwerp, Belgium— A cargo ship collided with a dock in Antwerp harbor on October 31, 2026, trapping three crew members and shutting down a section of Europe’s second-largest port.

The collision happened at 8:10 a.m. at the Deurganck dock, on the western bank of the Scheldt. The ship, a 200-meter container vessel flagged in Liberia, was maneuvering to berth with tug assistance when its bow struck the concrete quay at low speed. Speed was low but mass was huge. Steel buckled.

Port authority said three crew members were trapped in the bow thruster compartment after the impact crushed the access hatch. They were not on the bridge at the time. They were doing mooring checks forward. One was injured with a leg fracture. The other two were unhurt but could not get out.

Firefighters and port rescue teams cut through steel plating with torches. It took two hours. The ship was listing slightly against the dock. Tugs held it steady. A crane was brought in to lift a fallen container that had toppled onto the gangway and blocked exit.

The dock was damaged. A 20-meter section of concrete coping cracked and fell into the water. Two bollards were ripped out. A container stack on shore swayed. No fuel spill was reported, but booms were deployed as a precaution. An environmental team tested water.

Traffic in the dock was halted. Five other ships were told to wait at anchorage. Truck queues built up at the Kieldrecht lock. The port said delay costs would be high. Antwerp handles more than 200 million tons a year. A single dock closure ripples fast.

Investigators said wind may have played a role. Gusts of 35 knots were recorded at dawn. The ship had two tugs, which is standard, but a pilot said the bow thruster failed to respond in the final 50 meters. Voyage data recorder was seized. The captain was interviewed.

The shipping company said it was cooperating and that crew safety was priority. Union representatives said crew fatigue is common on short turnaround container runs. The ship had come from Rotterdam and was due to leave for Hamburg tonight.

By afternoon, all three crew members were freed. The injured man was taken to Antwerp University Hospital. The ship remained pinned to the dock pending inspection. Port operations were partially reopened.