Two fatal workplace accidents took place in the port of Rotterdam in the summer of 2025, where three workers lost their lives and two others were seriously injured. The most recent accident occurred on 22 September, when a 21-year-old man from Capelle aan den IJssel died during loading and unloading operations involving aluminium blocks at the C. Steinweg Botlek terminal. Recovery of the body proved particularly complex and required the intervention of specialised fire brigade teams. The causes of the accident have not yet been clarified and are being investigated by the Labour Inspectorate and the police.
Just three months earlier, on 19 June 2025, at the Waalhaven terminal, two dockworkers were killed and two others seriously injured during the unloading of steel plates in a ship’s hold. Here too, official investigations are still ongoing. The competent authorities, including Veiligheidsregio and Arbeidsinspectie, are examining the safety procedures applied by the company in its terminals. Their assessments cover both the June and September accidents.
The incidents occurred in ship holds at depths of up to 15 metres, making rescue and recovery operations particularly difficult. The combination of confined environments and the handling of heavy materials is central to the investigations, while the Steinweg-Botlek terminal remains under close scrutiny for its operating practices. According to Dutch press reports, the recurrence and severity of the events have raised concerns about worker safety at C. Steinweg.
