Guidance for container ships at Wadden route

During a storm in January 2019, the MSC Zoë lost 342 containers in the North Sea near the Wadden Islands resulting in major environmental damage.

Due to this disaster, a measure has now been taken that container ships can ask for guidance when sailing past the Wadden Islands, writes Infrastructure Minister Mark Harbers.

After the disaster, various parties in the Lower House asked for better guidance for ships. Captains must be able to request the necessary information about other ships, maneuvers to be executed or currents and weather conditions during heavy weather.

This service will be available 24 hours a day, but it will take at least 3 years to implement the system.

According to Minister Harbers, the guidance is voluntary, and ships worldwide are already using guidance that is already available. „Offering the escort does not guarantee that these types of incidents will not occur again, but hopefully reduce them“ says Minister Harbers.