Cargo Ship Collides with Pleasure Boat on Albert Canal

A cargo ship lost its rudder and collided with a moored pleasure boat on the Albert Canal in Schoten, Antwerp province, on Tuesday morning, causing significant disruption to canal navigation. No injuries were reported, as the pleasure boat was unoccupied at the time of the incident.

The incident occurred near the Hoogmolendijk in Schoten when the inland vessel became uncontrollable after losing its rudder. According to Het Laatste Nieuws, the ship drifted toward the shore and struck the moored pleasure craft, pushing it beneath another anchored cargo vessel, the Lorca. In total, three vessels were involved in the collision.

No Casualties, Extensive Damage

“There are no casualties, no one was on board. There is only material damage,” said Liliane Stinissen, spokesperson for De Vlaamse Waterweg, the Flemish waterway authority, as reported by Het Laatste Nieuws.

Emergency services arrived at the scene to secure the area, with firefighters using pumps to prevent the pleasure boat from sinking while it remained trapped beneath the Lorca. The small vessel sustained extensive damage and was described as nearly completely destroyed. The salvage operation was completed successfully around midday, with the pleasure boat safely recovered from beneath the cargo ship.

The cargo vessel responsible for the collision has been moved to the side of the canal. An investigation will determine how the rudder failure occurred and how insurance claims will be handled between the parties involved.

Shipping Traffic Resumes

Shipping traffic on the Albert Canal was temporarily halted following the incident but has since resumed at a moderate speed. Vessels passing through the area near Hoogmolendijk are being asked to reduce their speed to avoid creating waves that could further destabilize the situation, according to Schuttevaer. The towpath on the north side of the canal in Schoten was locally closed.

VRT NWS, the Belgian public broadcaster, reported that the shipping police confirmed there were no casualties at first glance, though all involved vessels were required to remain at the scene.

A Vital Waterway

The Albert Canal is one of Belgium’s most important transport arteries, connecting Liège to Antwerp over a distance of 129.5 kilometers. Opened on 30 July 1939, the canal links the Meuse and Scheldt rivers and serves as a CEMT Class VI waterway suitable for large inland vessels, according to Wikipedia. The canal is managed by De Vlaamse Waterweg in Flanders and plays a crucial role in inland shipping, industrial water supply, and drinking water production — approximately 40 percent of Flanders’ drinking water is sourced from the canal.

Recent modernization works between 2005 and 2024 raised bridges along the canal to accommodate ships carrying four layers of containers, reflecting its growing importance to the logistics sector.

A Pattern of Incidents

This is not the first collision between commercial and recreational vessels on the Albert Canal. In September 2023, a motor yacht collided with an inland vessel on the same waterway, and two people from the pleasure craft ended up in the water, as documented by Flows, a Belgian maritime news platform. More recently, in March 2026, the canal was temporarily blocked after a vessel struck a high-voltage cable, and in July 2026, a cargo ship leaked approximately 10,000 liters of oil into the canal near Olen.

The recurring incidents highlight ongoing safety concerns on Belgian waterways where commercial and recreational vessels share the same space. The latest collision has also sparked discussion about mooring regulations, with some observers questioning whether pleasure craft should be permitted to moor at quays designated for commercial vessels.

What to Watch For

The investigation into Tuesday’s collision will focus on how the rudder failure occurred and whether the pleasure boat was legally moored at its location. The outcome could have implications for mooring regulations and safety protocols on one of Europe’s busiest inland waterways. For now, the most positive outcome remains that no lives were lost, despite the extensive damage to the pleasure vessel.