Dock Worker Crushed To Death Aboard Ro-Ro Vessel In Belgium’s Zeebrugge Port

A dock worker was killed during cargo loading operations on a Ro-Ro vessel at the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium on 16 June, after a towing vehicle struck stacked cargo on the ship’s vehicle deck, causing containers to shift and trap him against the vessel structure, authorities said.

Belgian police said the victim, a 54-year-old male signalman, was assisting in loading trailers and containers aboard the Malta-flagged Ro-Ro ship Delphine when the incident occurred around 18:00 local time at the CLdN-operated Albert II Dock terminal.

He died at the scene. A criminal investigation has been opened.

Preliminary findings, based on police and local media reports, indicate that a towing vehicle operating on the cargo deck hit a stack of containers during loading.

The impact caused the cargo to shift, trapping the worker between the containers and the ship’s bulkhead. Emergency teams arrived quickly, but he could not be saved.

Maritime police have interviewed witnesses and gathered onboard footage. Forensic experts and a medical examiner are working to determine exactly how the accident happened. A workplace safety inspector has also examined the site.

The vessel was held in port for investigation before being cleared to sail. Delphine is now on its way to Dublin, Ireland, with an expected arrival on 20 June.

Local media identified the victim as Georges Van Troostenberghe, a long-time dock worker and father of five.

The ship has also been involved in another serious incident at the same port. In April 2025, a fire broke out on one of Delphine’s vehicle decks while it was berthed in Zeebrugge.

The deck was carrying 60 electric vehicles and 40 conventional cars. All 26 crew members were evacuated, and firefighters from shore helped bring the blaze under control.

The ship’s CO₂ system was used to contain the fire, which took three days to fully extinguish. Nitrogen gas was later used to prevent any re-ignition.

Authorities are now reviewing whether safety procedures were properly followed during the latest loading operation and are reconstructing the sequence of events.

References: maritimetelegraph, bairdmaritime