Huge containership runs aground on Dutch sandbar

MSC Luciana, a 363-meter containership outbound from Antwerp lost engine power this morning and ran aground on a sandbar in the Westerschelde, approximately 140 kilometers southwest of Amsterdam.

Complicating things even more, this massive ship ran aground on an outgoing tide.  According to PZC, 6 tugboats are standing by to pull this ship loose at high tide this evening.  The salvage effort is being led by Multraship and URS.

Zeeland Region Safety’s Aart Oosten told the AFP,

“At the moment, we have several groups including the Dutch maritime authorities in a meeting to see how we will proceed,”  adding the Panamanian-registered ship posed no immediate danger to the environment.

“There is no danger and her crew remains on board.”