Risk Management

Near misses due to extreme wind

In December 2019, a quay crane (QC2) collapsed following a collision with a vessel adrift. The mooring lines of the ship on the other side of the dock had broken loose as a result of the high wind speeds. This caused huge material damage, but fortunately there were no injuries. The process of wind measurement at our terminal was reviewed in cooperation with various stakeholders. The frequency and transparency of communication through dashboards and e-mails is increasing, the wind measurement system is tested every month, and maintenance of the system takes place every quarter.

The prevailing wind in the Deurganck dock from the northwest is unfavorable to our terminal. In October 2021, the importance of accurate weather forecasts, wind measurements, and the necessary preventive measures were confirmed when a ship moored at an adjacent terminal came adrift following sudden strong gusts of wind and passed close to a quay crane (QC1).